


Episode 2-02 - "Hunter and Prey"

by stgjr



Series: Undiscovered Frontier Season 2 - "Whispers of Destiny" [2]
Category: Mass Effect, Original Work, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Crossover, Gen, Multiple Crossovers, Multiverse, Space Opera
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-25
Updated: 2017-05-27
Packaged: 2018-11-04 19:46:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 28,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10997733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stgjr/pseuds/stgjr
Summary: An alien serial killer stalks the corridors of Deep Space Nine during a vital diplomatic summit.





	1. Chapter 1

**Teaser**  
  
  
The _Starship Aurora_ basked in the light of a yellow star. Her azure hull gleamed and her long, sleek appearance were a sight to behold.  
  
The sight of his ship looking so grand might have eased the growing headache that Captain Robert Dale faced at his present difficulty. Had he been able to see it.  
  
But right now he was looking at two different beings. One, a Tellarite woman, was Captain Teer of the Federation _Starship Oreen_ , a _New Orleans_ -class Federation frigate. The other was a Klingon man, Captain Glaghk, of the Bird-of-Prey _Yavekh_.  
  
"... _and their conduct has been unacceptable, Captain Dale_ ," Teer was declaring. " _This Klingon vessel has been using Alliance space to launch attacks on Federation ships conducting innocent trade to Cardassia…_ "  
  
" _Worthless_ petaQ _!_ ", Glaghk shouted. " _Do you take us for fools?! Your 'innocent trade' has been in industrial replicators and devices the Cardassians will use against us!_ "  
  
" _None of the equipment being traded to the new government on Cardassia is recognized as contraband by…_ "  
  
" _The machines you provide can make weapons. The Klingon Empire is within its rights..._ "  
  
At that point Jarod helpfully muted the call from his Ops station. The standard bridge crew were all in their places. It was a great relief to Robert to see that this included Barnes, sitting at the Engineering station beside Caterina at Science/Sensors along the port wall of the bridge.  
  
"Thank you, Jarod," Julia said, beating him to it. "They're just talking around each other now."  
  
"But we still have to deal with it." Robert rubbed at his forehead. "Arguing with Teer is like pulling teeth."  
  
"I could always shoot them," Angel suggested flippantly from her Tactical station.  
  
"As tempting as that is," Robert admitted, "I doubt the President or Admiral Maran will be pleased by me opening hostilities with both the Klingons and the Federation." He took in a breath and focused in the manner Meridina had been teaching him. It calmed the energy he felt within. "Okay, I'm ready," he said. "Put them back on."  
  
Both of the captains had apparently realized he'd muted them and gone quiet, stewing silently. Robert knew he had to get the first word in, and quickly, before the argument resumed. "Okay, now that the shouting is over… I'll remind you both that the Allied Systems has remained neutral over your governments' recent hostility. We're not taking sides. We've got treaties with you both, for God's sake, we don't _want_ to take sides. And we want you to keep this tussle out of our space." He looked at the Tellarite first. "Captain Teer, for the time being, the Alliance will inspect all Federation ships entering Cardassian territory from our space to ensure they are carrying only humanitarian supplies."  
  
" _This is outrageous conduct, Captain!_ ," Teer exploded. " _The Federation will protest…_ "  
  
"...and President Morgan will handle it as he deems fit. I'm relaying the orders I've been given in this situation," Robert countered.  
  
" _And you will just allow the Klingons to continue to attack…_ "  
  
"I'm getting to them," Robert barked. He focused on the Klingon commander next. "Captain Glagkh, you have ten hours to withdraw from Alliance space. For the time being, the Alliance is going to forbid Starfleet and the KDF from entering our borders."  
  
" _What?!_ ", Glagkh shouted. " _Insolent little… have we not fought and died alongside you in battle?! We deserve your support…_ "  
  
"...and if you had approached the Alliance Government with your suspicions about the Cardassians, you might have gotten it," Robert pointed out. "You didn't. Instead you left us high and dry when your forces dropped out of the war without warning. Some of our comrades are _dead_ because of all of this."  
  
Glagkh growled and went silent.  
  
"Those are the orders I have direct from my President," Robert continued. "Until the diplomats can sort this out, the Alliance is asserting its neutrality. I expect you both to withdraw from Alliance territory immediately. Dale out." He motioned with his hand. Jarod cut the communication.  
  
For several tense seconds there was no reaction from either side. The Federation vessel turned away first. They watched Teer's ship elongate and disappear in a burst of light. The Klingon ship turned afterward and cloaked.  
  
"Well." Julia crossed her arms. "At least we kept them from shooting at each other. That was the last thing we needed."  
  
"It's hard to believe they became enemies so easily," Caterina mumbled. "They were allies for decades."  
  
"Not friendly, though, until the _Enterprise-C_ was destroyed at Narendra," Locarno pointed out. "There's always been a little friction between the Federation and the Klingons. And now it's all coming out."  
  
"And here we are, stuck in the middle," Julia observed.  
  
"Return us to our prior patrol course, Nick," Robert said. "I'll be in the office writing up my report on the incident. I'll see you all at 1900 for Admiral Maran's briefing."  
  
  
  
  
At exactly 1900, Admiral Maran's image appeared on the main viewer in the conference room. The combined command staffs of the _Aurora_ and _Koenig_ were seated and waiting. " _Good evening_ ," he began. " _I'm going to get straight to the matter at hand. The collapse of the Khitomer Accords has changed every strategic and diplomatic calculus we have made since the formation of the Alliance. The Klingons and Federation are putting tremendous pressure on us to pick a side._ "  
  
"Is it really that difficult a choice?", Leo asked. "The Klingons invaded the Cardassians without provocation. They're in the wrong."  
  
"They say that the Cardassian government was taken over by Changelings," Julia pointed out. "And it's pretty suspicious that the Cardassian government fell so quickly to a democratic uprising, isn't it?"  
  
"I'd hardly call the Detepa Council 'democrats'," Locarno countered. "They're a civilian government, sure, but they weren't elected under anything approaching a democratic system."  
  
"Given time…"  
  
" _I believe this debate demonstrates the issue we are having in Portland quite well_ ," Maran said, ending the discussion. " _There are those who sympathize with either side of the dispute. The President will never get a mandate to side with one or the other at this time._ "  
  
"So what do we do?", Robert asked. "They've already cost us the entire offensive in S4W8 from all of the Federation and Klingon ships returning to S5T3. We need to get them back on track, or at least not shooting at each other."  
  
" _That's why I've called you. You handled the last set of talks that brought them into the war. I'm hoping you might be able to persuade the two sides to find enough common ground to stick with us._ "  
  
"So there's going to be another summit?", Julia asked.  
  
" _Yes. And you'll be present to join Senator Kiang in representing the Alliance. She'll meet you at the site._ "  
  
Robert's next question was the obvious one. "Where are the talks being held?"  
  
" _You're due in the Bajor system, Captain. The talks are going to be held on_ Deep Space Nine."  
  
  
  
  
A lone transport vessel pulled up to the docking ring of Deep Space Nine. Outside of the airlock it was attached to were a group of waiting security officers with scanners, a mix of Starfleet and Bajoran personnel.  
  
Most of those exiting the ships were the usual type of travelers. Free traders, salesmen, interstellar tourists, and now, journalists and independent operators looking to investigate the rumors of a peace summit between the Federation and Klingons. It seemed bizarre that such a summit would be hosted on DS9, where just the prior month Klingon forces had been trying to board and seize the station.  
  
A Human Starfleet Ensign, Merrill, was the one who received the oddity in the transport. The figure was clad mostly in black and moved with sensual grace. Try as he might, Merrill's relative youth made it hard for him to ignore the attractiveness of the black-clad female figure, although he did not recognize her species immediately. He tried to think of which species were known for blue coloration and no hair in the moment that the woman handed her identification to him. It was a holographic passport marked from the city-moon of Solaria. Personal information displayed the name of Rila t'Gomi. Merrill's eyes went to the entry under species. "Asari?", Merrill said. He looked into her blue eyes. They fixed on him. "I've never seen one of you before. M4P2, right?"  
  
"Yes." Her voice was warm and inviting. "You are… Starfleet, I believe?"  
  
"Yes ma'am. Ensign Merrill, Starfleet Security."  
  
"Quite an interesting line of work, Ensign."  
  
"Oh." He chuckled nervously and rubbed at his neck. "Interesting isn't just it. Barely four weeks ago I was fighting for my life against Klingons boarding the station."  
  
She seemed to take interest in that. "That sounds interesting. Perhaps you would like to tell me about it?"  
  
Merrill's heart almost went into his throat. He'd heard rumors about how beautiful and sensual the Asari could be. They were played up as almost being Deltan in that regard. And it had been quite a while since that Betazoid he'd gone out with between years at the Academy…  
  
There were people forming up behind the Asari. Merrill forced himself to pay attention to his job. "I'm off duty in two hours," he said. "I'll be in Quark's if you're interested."  
  
She smiled at him and accepted her identification holo back. Merrill was smiling after she walked past.  
  
The Asari calling herself Rila t'Gomi was smiling too.  
  
But it was a different kind of smile.  
  
  
**Undiscovered Frontier  
_"Hunter and Prey"_**

  
  
  
_Ship's Log: 15 February 2642; ASV Aurora. Captain Robert Dale recording. We have arrived at_ Deep Space Nine _, where the talks will be commencing shortly. Commander Andreys and I will be joining Senator Kiang's delegation. Hopefully we can discover a way to heal this rift before it further complicates matters._  
  
Senator Kiang Yu Ling was waiting for Robert and Julia when they beamed into the DS9 quarters she was using for her staff room. The prim, proper-looking Chinese woman was dressed in a blue suit with cyan highlights. "Captain, Commander." She nodded. "Welcome."  
  
"Thank you, Madame Senator." Robert accepted her offered hand. Julia did so as well. Kiang showed them to chairs around a round table before sitting in one herself. "How are the talks going?"  
  
"The preliminary discussions are difficult," she admitted. The older woman shifted a moment before finding she was comfortable. "I have sought their approval for Minbari or Asari mediators, but neither side is ready to proceed to mediation unless certain prerequisite terms are approved. The Klingons are insisting that the Federation recognize their annexation of several Cardassian star systems. The Federation wants them to withdraw."  
  
"That is not likely to happen," Julia observed wryly.  
  
"Agreed. I am hopeful that, perhaps, the two sides might be convinced to lower these requirements. But I do not have high hopes for these talks."  
  
"We'll see what we can do," Robert promised. "Who is representing who?"  
  
"The Federation sent Sonek Pran. I believe you have met?"  
  
Robert nodded in reply. "He represented the Federation in the earliest talks we hosted among the interuniversal governments. Back when we had the Facility."  
  
"Who did the Klingons send?"  
  
"Councillor K'mbok and General Martok," was the reply.  
  
"I don't remember K'mbok," Robert said. "Which one is he?"  
  
"One of the newest members of the High Council," Kiang answered. "Chancellor Gowron has shown his lack of confidence in the summit with his choices. K'mbok is an advocate for the resumption of Klingon expansionism and General Martok commanded the initial invasion of Cardassia."  
  
"Is he really trying to burn his bridges?" Robert shook his head. "Or does he think he doesn't need to do well at the summit?"  
  
"He might think we're too reliant on Klingon assistance to risk alienating him," Julia pointed out. "The Klingons still have a few of their squadrons on the front. We'll have trouble replacing them if they pull out completely."  
  
"Our orders are to give all reasonable concessions we can to keep the Klingons in the Coalition," Kiang revealed. "However, we must concede nothing that would sever our relations with the Federation."  
  
"So we're going try and stay in the middle."  
  
Julia nodded at that. "And just hope that they consider our future friendship too important to cut off because we want to stay out of their fight."  
  
"That is the current position we have, yes." Kiang gestured to the digital pads on the table, on which various negotiating items were listed. "Provided nothing else happens."  
  
"Who else is here?", Robert asked. "Most of the Coalition was slated to attend."  
  
"The Citadel Council is represented by an Asari negotiator, Representative Irissa. She is not a being I would want to cross. As for the others…"  
  
  
  
  
The clacking of wooden blades echoed in the holochamber and its recreation of a dueling room on Gersal. Lucy raised her training sword to a defensive position and deflected a swipe by Meridina. She sensed her teacher's next move and brought the sword over, parrying another blow. In a moment of instinct she focused her power, the metaphysical power manifested from her life force, and threw it in a bolt that sent Meridina flying backward and onto the mat.  
  
Any elation at success, and with it the indication of how much her skill was improving, was lost when Lucy saw Meridina try to stand. She winced and her hand went to her chest, right where the vicious interuniversal rogue Hawk had stabbed her through the torso and nearly killed her. With all elation replaced by fear and horror, Lucy rushed to her mentor's side and took her arms. "Meridina! Oh, Meridina, I'm sorry, I didn't…"  
  
"It is alright," Meridina insisted. She brought her free hand out from her robe. "I am not bleeding. All is fine."  
  
Lucy breathed a sigh of relief and helped Meridina up. "Are you sure about coming back to training so soon? I know Leo said you were clear a few days ago but..."  
  
"I am healed sufficient to spar with you, Lucy," Meridina assured her. "Although I am afraid we must end this session now. I am due to see Constable Odo and Commander Eddington shortly to go over security arrangements."  
  
"I wanted to get some shore leave in anyway," Lucy said, grinning. "Are you going to be working this entire time, then?"  
  
"I expect that the station personnel have security well in hand. I will likely sit in for the sessions if Captain Dale asks, but if not… I will have little to do myself."  
  
"Then maybe you should enjoy some shore leave?", Lucy pointed out. "The shuttle flights to Bajor only take a few hours. I've heard Ashalla is a beautiful city."  
  
"I will certainly consider it, Lucy." Meridina accepted Lucy's training sword from her. "Perhaps tomorrow?"  
  
"Sounds good to me."  
  
  
  
  
On the _Aurora_ bridge, things were even more quiet than usual. With the ship in station-keeping position near DS9 there was little activity to be had. Locarno looked positively bored at the helm, Jupap was quiet at Ops, and the same could be said for Angel at tactical. Jarod, seated in the command chair, was tempted to find a pin and drop it to see if that was the level of silence they had obtained.  
  
"So, who's going on shore leave?", Caterina asked from science. She was busying herself with yet more sensor scans of the Bajoran Wormhole. "Because I'm heading stationside the moment al-Rashad gets here."  
  
"Is there anything on DS9 you can't do here?", Angel asked. "With all of the Klingons around and angry at us, I'm afraid some might try and take it out on you."  
  
"I'll only be on the Promenade," Catarina insisted. "With all of those security people around." A thought crossed her mind. "Although maybe you should join me? We can play Dabo and clean Quark out."  
  
"More like he cleans us out," Angel retorted. "You got really lucky last time."  
  
"So maybe we do something different? _Deep Space Nine_ is such an awesome place, there's a ton of stuff to see!"  
  
Before Angel could say anything, there was a chuckle from the middle of the bridge. "What was that?", she demanded.  
  
"Nothing," was the reply. Jarod suppressed another chuckle. "Go on, talk about your personal things on the bridge. We're all bored anyway."  
  
Locarno joined in with a chuckle of his own.  
  
Angel sighed aloud.  
  
"It's okay if you don't want to come," Cat said. "You don't have to chaperone me if you've got something else planned."  
  
Angel thought she could hear something in her sister's voice. A tone of… another emotion, a sort of resigned acceptance. "As a matter of fact, Robert does want to take me out tonight."  
  
"Oh." Cat nodded. "Okay. So enjoy yourself, Angel. I'll be fine. I mean, what else can be dangerous on DS9 except angry Klingons? And Klingons probably won't bother with me. I'm too wimpy. There's no honor in beating me up."  
  
Jarod shook his head. "Cat, you might want to reign it in a bit…"  
  
  
  
  
From his office window Captain Benjamin Sisko could see the assembled vessels for the Coalition summit. It was a new sight to see the curved, squat shape of an Asari cruiser now docked to DS9's upper pylon. A _White Star_ eased by the window gracefully, in proximity to a Gy'toran star-sailer that reminded him of the Bajoran exploration sailer he had built not too long ago. If that Bajoran craft had been the size of an _Excelsior_ -class starship, at least.  
  
There was a tone at his office door. Sisko rolled the baseball in his hands and answered, "Come in." He turned in his chair. He allowed himself a smile and stood to his feet. "Good to see you again, Commander."  
  
"Congratulations, Captain," Zack answered. "Rob and Julia asked me to stop in on their behalf. Senator Kiang wanted them to report directly to the talks."  
  
"Of course. Welcome back to _Deep Space Nine_." Sisko put his baseball down. "I see you're no longer assigned to Admiral Adama's fleet."  
  
Zack replied with a nod. "They've settled their election and made their choice on where to found their new colony. Admiral Maran believed it was time for my ship to return to the _Aurora_." At Sisko's prompting he sat at the desk. "So, this summit's taken a turn for the crazy now that the Klingons are going Viking on people."  
  
"Whatever has gotten into them, it's made them lose sight of the real dangers threatening the Alpha Quadrant." Sisko put together his hands on the desk. "Do you know what the Alliance is going to do about this?"  
  
"Well, right now we're just trying to keep the Klingons from pulling out those last few squadrons. They say we would have to abandon one of the liberated sectors to the Nazis if the Klingons leave." Zack shook his head. "All of that damned work and it might be for nothing."  
  
"I know the feeling."  
  
For a moment neither said anything. Then the younger man resolved to change the subject. "You'll be happy to know, Captain, that I've been busy turning the children of the Refugee Fleet into devoted baseball fans," Zack reported.  
  
A wide grin was the immediate reply. "Now _that_ is good news", Sisko declared. "How are they doing?"  
  
Zack chuckled. "Getting better all the time. By the time I left, the teenagers had some pitchers who were doing better than I was at that age. They're going to have some real pros coming out of New Caprica in a few years, Captain, mark my words. Clara and I watched this one Tauron kid…"  
  
"Wait a moment." Sisko held up a hand. "Who's Clara?"  
  
"Clara Davis," Zack answered. "She is… my girlfriend. Lover. Quite possibly more." The smile on his face widened, matching the one on Sisko's. "I knew her in school. She came out with our first supply convoy to the Colonial Fleet as a volunteer nurse."  
  
"It must have been quite the surprise to see her."  
  
"It was. She wanted to come out into space and make a difference. Like I, like we, did." Zack sighed wistfully. "We spent some good time together before I had to leave. I hadn't been that happy in years, to be honest."  
  
"I know the feeling," Sisko replied. Thoughts of Kasidy Yates entered his mind. "I'll have to introduce you to Kasidy some time. Her brother plays for the Pike City Pioneers."  
  
"The Pike City Pioneers? I thought the Federation didn't have baseball teams?"  
  
"Cestus III does." The grin on Sisko's face said it all.  
  
"That's over by the Gorn border, isn't it?" Zack nodded. "Well, I'll have to find an excuse to…"  
  
They were interrupted by a loud warbling tone. The station's internal communications system, to be precise. " _Odo to Sisko._ "  
  
"I'm here, Constable, go ahead," Sisko replied.  
  
" _I'm afraid something's come up, Captain. Commander Eddington's people just found Ensign Merrill in his quarters. He's dead, sir._ "  
  
All of the good mood in the office faded away. " _What?!_ " Sisko stood from his chair. "What happened?"  
  
" _There's no immediate signs of foul play but I am still investigating. Doctor Bashir is having the body brought to the infirmary for a complete autopsy._ "  
  
"Thank you for informing me, Constable, I'll be right down."  
  
Zack sighed and stood. "My condolences, Captain. I'll let you get to work. If there's anything we can do to help…"  
  
"I'll ask you or Captain Dale if it comes to it," Sisko said.  
  
Zack nodded and followed Sisko out of the office.  
  
  
  
The talks had left Robert with a bad feeling. One that did not go away even when they were over. The Klingons were being beyond stubborn, going all the way into arrogance and bluster that made him pity poor Sonek Pran. The amiable hybrid - he was one quarter-Human, one quarter-Vulcan, one quarter-Betazoid, one quarter-Bajoran - had retained his composure against both the blustering Klingons and the icy aloofness of the Citadel Council's Representative Iressa, an Asari who had none of Councillor Tevos' disarming reason and charm.  
  
His bad feelings dissipated upon meeting Angel on the Promenade afterward. She was in a red sleeveless blouse with a plunging neckline and dark knee-length skirt while he hadn't changed at all - the talks hadn't given him time to do that. "So, where to?", he asked her. "Anywhere but the Klingon restaurant."  
  
"There's a Bajoran restaurant too," she pointed out. "Or Quark's."  
  
"Quark's food is something I am not in the mood for," Robert answered. He rubbed at his forehead. "Bajoran food sounds good."  
  
"Bajoran it is," Angel said. And she cheerfully kissed him on the cheek.  
  
It didn't make the headache or the bad feeling go away. But it helped. He took her hand and they walked to the restaurant together.  
  
  
  
  
"Dabo!"  
  
Caterina's squeal of triumph filled Quark's Place. She happily accepted her winnings from the Dabo girl overseeing the tables. The curvy Bajoran redhead at the head of the table, Leeta, accepted her betting into the next spin of the wheel. A Starfleet crewmember joined her in betting on the next round, handing a slip of gold-pressed latinum to Leeta.  
  
"Anyone else?", Leeta asked.  
  
After a moment another hand moved in and offered the required latinum. Leeta looked at the newcomer and smiled warmly, as was usual in her line of work.  
  
Caterina looked across to the newcomer. She was an Asari in a dark, figure-hugging suit that looked like it was made of leather. Pale blue eyes almost gray in their coloration looked back at her. A small smile curled over the Asari's face. "Perhaps your luck will work for me as well," she said.  
  
Cat swallowed and smiled back. "Uh. Sure."  
  
  
  
  
After another few turns of the wheel - and Cat getting another Dabo that made Quark frown at her - she decided to stop. She went to a table near the bar and was soon joined by the Asari. "An Alliance crewwoman, I see. No." She stopped and seemed to consider Caterina more. Inspecting her as if looking over a fine wine. "An officer."  
  
The inspection made Caterina intensely self-conscious of how she looked in her uniform. As she usually did, Cat substituted the trousers of her uniform with a uniform skirt instead, showing her thin bare legs from below the knee. She realized how skinny and puny she must look compared to the elegant Asari and felt even more nervous. "What's your name?", asked the Asari.  
  
"I'm Caterina. Caterina Delgado. I'm the… the Science Officer on the _Aurora_." Caterina giggled nervously. She felt a little light-headed at the moment. This Asari seemed so interesting, and save for the Consort she'd barely gotten a chance to spend time with an Asari before.  
  
"I see." The Asari motioned to Quark. "Bartender, drinks for myself and my young friend, please." She flashed a handful of GPL strips at him. With her attention back on Cat as soon as the strips were taken, the Asari continued speaking. "I've heard some unbelievable things about the _Aurora_ 's crew. I would love to hear how true they are from you."  
  
"Well… if I can. Of they're not classified I mean, then sure, I don't see why not…"  
  
  
  
Sisko and Odo were waiting when Doctor Bashir emerged from his operating room in the red surgical outfit Starfleet doctors employed. "Ah, Captain, Constable, I hope I haven't been keeping you long."  
  
"Do you have anything on what caused Ensign Merrill's death, Doctor?", Sisko asked. "Was it just an accident or natural causes?"  
  
Bashir shook his head. "I highly doubt that." He went over to his console and began tapping controls. The Cardassian monitor screens shifted to show a model of a Human nervous system. "Ensign Merrill died from a severe brain hemorrhage brought on by an extensive overloading of his central nervous system. I've never seen anything like this before. It's like something burnt out every synapse and nerve cluster in his body."  
  
"So we're looking for some form of weapon," Odo said. "Do you have any indications for what we're looking for?"  
  
"There are no signs of any sort of weapon discharge on the body, or on his uniform."  
  
"So what else did you find?", Sisko asked.  
  
"Well, I can tell you that from the state of his body that Ensign Merrill was quite pleased until his nervous system started to overload." Bashir pointed to a second display. "Increased hormone levels in his bloodstream and endorphins in the brain, heightened blood flow to his reproductive organs…"  
  
Sisko realized what Bashir was getting at. It was Odo who remarked, "You mean he was in a state of sexual arousal when he died, don't you Doctor?"  
  
Bashir nodded. "Yes, Constable. Exactly."  
  
"Was he with someone, then?", Sisko asked.  
  
"I'm still running scans on some unknown skin cell samples I found on his hands," Bashir stated. "It is certainly possible."  
  
"So do we have a witness… or a murderer?", Odo asked rhetorically.  
  
"I can't say, Constable. Not with what I have on hand. I have never seen anything like this," Bashir insisted. "The damage to his nervous system is so extensive that it's hard to imagine anything accomplishing that level of degradation without damaging or even affecting other systems in the body. But there's no sign of any other damage. It's like something just went in and burned out his entire nervous system until his brain hemorrhaged."  
  
"Constable." Sisko looked to Odo. "The timing of this is suspicious. I want increased security on the summit and on all negotiation teams. Post extra guards and Starfleet personnel as you need."  
  
"It's already arranged, sir. And with your permission I'll request that Commander Meridina provide me further security personnel from the _Aurora_."  
  
"Permission granted, Constable."  
  
Odo nodded. "I'll make the call. Then I'd like to get back to my investigation," he asked.  
  
Sisko's expression was grim. "Consider this case second only to the security of the summit, Constable. I want to know who or what did this. And why."  
  
Odo's response was immediate. "Yes, Captain."  
  
  
  
  
"The New Austria battle." The Asari's eyes remained directly focused on Cat's. She didn't even need to look at Quark when he brought the glasses back. She took one in her hand and handed it to Caterina. "The news reports were quite interesting. You were in the thick of the fighting?"  
  
"We were. I'd never seen that many spaceships together before." Cat took a drink. She almost choked back up the burning alcohol. The burning made her voice a little hoarse when she resumed speaking. "Or that many ships being blown up, for that matter."  
  
"It was quite the battle, clearly," the Asari cooed.  
  
"Those warp jumps were the trickiest part. We had to be just… right… on the warp activations and shut-downs."  
  
"And how did they make you feel, Caterina?" The light blue eyes of the Asari seemed to glisten with interest. "I can imagine the fear. Just one unfortunate strike and death would end it all."  
  
"Well… yeah." Cat took another drink. She was starting to feel a little weird. In a good way. Curiosity about the Asari was becoming something more than the scientific interest she'd felt before. There was something about her that was exotic, interesting. Promising of experiences Caterina had never bothered to dwell on before. Something more than her usual socialization.  
  
A part of her didn't feel the same way. It felt alerted, concerned, even suspicious. It demanded she do the rational thing. Ask questions. _Why would someone like her be interested in me. I'm not even beautiful! I'm too skinny, too thin!_  
  
But that part couldn't focus. Intrigue, desire, curiosity, her new friend was triggering all of that in her mind, and Caterina couldn't bring herself to end the experience.  
  
"How did the fear make you feel?"  
  
"I was terrified. And I wasn't. I mean…" Cat forced her mind to focus on what she was thinking, to find the right words. "It was like I knew I could die… but that I knew we'd live. Because we're getting good at this and.. and our ship is just a work of art. We can't lose with her. We can't."  
  
"Such confidence." Her Asari friend sipped at her drink. "And such vision. The way you describe these things, quasars and wormholes and such things, is like nothing I've heard before."  
  
Caterina blushed. "Oh… I'm just an enthusiast. I mean, I love this stuff. I love science. I love learning. I love space stuff and stuff I've never seen before and seeing the neutrinos swirl around wormholes…"  
  
"Your passion for the unknown is exquisite, my dear." The Asari reached forward and ran a finger along Caterina's temple.  
  
Cat felt a shock of pleasure at the touch. Her heartbeat picked up. "Th-thank you," she said. And she swallowed. She had to, and that did nothing to control the increasing tempo of her heart.  
  
They each took another drink. Cat took more of one. It served to fortify her swirling emotions. She almost couldn't believe her current situation. "So… wh-what do you do? In your life? Normally, I mean."  
  
"Well…" The Asari nursed her drink. "I am quite the traveler, you see…"


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An alien serial killer stalks the corridors of Deep Space Nine during a vital diplomatic summit.

Not a long distance away Robert and Angel were at a table in the Bajoran restaurant on the Promenade. It was near the opening and gave them each a sight of the economic heart of the space station. Two plates with half-eaten _hasperat_ s were before them. "...pain in the neck," Robert was complaining. "The Klingons are insisting that we recognize their conquests from the Cardassians."  
  
"Or they'll what? Drop out of the war?"  
  
"That. Stop economic assistance." Robert sighed. "Command's worried they might try to grab our IU drives still on their ships. Admiral Davies suggested we should just withdraw them from the front, remove the IU drives from their ships, and let them go their own way."  
  
"Wow. Davies is right about something," Angel laughed. She sipped at the wine glass in her hand. "But I didn't bring you here to talk about that. These dates are supposed to get you away from the Captain business."  
  
Robert chuckled at that. "Yeah, I suppose. We do need the alone time. It seems we get so little of it now."  
  
"Yes, well…" Angel took a drink in an effort, not entirely successful, to hide her frown. "Between your Captain duties and this mumbo jumbo training you're doing with Meridina, you don't have much time left in the day."  
  
That drew a frown from Robert. "I'm sorry about that. But it's something I need to do. This stuff requires control."  
  
"I still don't see how they can't get rid of it. Can't Leo try…"  
  
"I don't want to fight about this," Robert said, cutting her off. "Can't we just enjoy a dinner together without fighting over my abilities."  
  
"That depends," Angel muttered.  
  
"On?"  
  
"Can you ever walk away from this stuff and actually spend time with me again?" Angel put her glass down. She was still frowning. "Because as things are going, you spend more time with Meridina and Lucy than with me."  
  
"Ouch."  
  
Angel picked up her hasperat and brought it toward her mouth. "'Ouch' is damn right. That's exactly how _I_ feel." She took a bite and started chewing.  
  
There was little Robert could do but sigh at that. A look of guilt filled his green eyes. There were times he regretted having these abilities, this "life force power", that Meridina and Lucy also possessed.  
  
After Angel finished chewing she rolled her eyes. "Oh no. No, don't do that."  
  
"What?"  
  
"The sad puppy eyes," Angel said. A glint of amusement was present in her own hazel-colored eyes. "You don't play fair with the sad puppy eyes. I'm the frustrated, anger-prone girlfriend, I shouldn't have to be made to feel like I'm kicking a puppy whenever I complain about the lack of time we have together."  
  
That won her a chuckle. "Ah, well, I'll try not to," Robert pledged.  
  
"That's better."  
  
"And I'll see about getting Meridina to lower the schedule for these training excursions. I think I've learned all the control I'll need for now, honestly."  
  
"And that's even better." Angel smiled at him. "So, how about we get the check and…"  
  
Robert's multidevice went off.  
  
Angel's smile evaporated.  
  
Robert's expression was apologetic as he hit the commkey to open the channel. "Dale here."  
  
The voice that came out the other end was Jarod's. " _I'm sorry to interrupt you, Captain, but Senator Kiang is insisting on speaking to you. She wants you and Commander Andreys at her quarters immediately for consultations._ "  
  
He audibly sighed in frustration. "Alright. Alright, fine. I'll be on my way."  
  
"Duty calls," Angel sighed.  
  
"Yeah." He leaned over the table and kissed her on the lips. It was not a deep kiss, but it was warm. "I'll talk to you later." He held out his credit chit. "I'm paying, of course."  
  
"Of course. Go ahead." Angel motioned to the door. "Go see what the high and mighty Senator needs done absolutely right now no questions asked."  
  
The look on Robert's face was pained. Angel immediately regretted being so sarcastic with him. She said nothing more as he left. She tried to finish her own meal but found, after two bites, that her appetite had turned sour from all of the twisted feelings welling up within her.  
  
_I wanted this relationship_ , she reminded herself. And yet she remained frustrated with it.  
  
With nothing more to do she paid the bill with her own chit and left a generous tip. The Promenade was just starting to thin out when she stepped out of the eatery. It was starting to get late.  
  
What more was there to do? She wondered about just asking for a direct beaming back to the _Aurora_ and ending her day. _Or I could go into Quark_ 's…  
  
She looked at Quark's big establishment and decided to check up on Cat. She went through the front door and looked to the Dabo table, but she wasn't there. "Cat?", she called out over the low din of the late evening crowd. "Are you in here?"  
  
"Over here."  
  
The reply wasn't from Cat. Quark was at the bar leaning against it. He'd been wiping down a glass. Angel frowned and went over to face him. "What is it?", she asked.  
  
"You're the sister, right?", Quark asked. He leaned in. And to some surprise it clearly wasn't to get a better look at Angel in her revealing dinner wear. "She left with someone."  
  
"Someone?" Angel gave him a look. "Someone who? One of the others?"  
  
"Not one of your people. Not one of Starfleet's either," Quark replied. "It was one of those Asari women… although they're all technically women, aren't they?" Quark seemed to fidget behind the bar. "Listen, you didn't hear this from me… but I think that Asari is bad news."  
  
Anyone else might have inquired, skeptically, into what Quark meant. Angel did not. The prospect that Cat might have stumbled into trouble was too worrying to listen to any doubts about Quark's honesty. "What do you mean bad news?", she asked.  
  
"Their species might be new to our galaxy or universe or whatever you want to call it, but I know the bad ones when I see them. You can't work in all the places I've been and miss them."  
  
Angel stared at him a moment. Fury started to build within her. "Why didn't you stop her, then?", she demanded, her voice picking up in volume to go with her anger. "You saw my sister going off with… you know, forget it." She turned away and stormed out of Quark's.  
  
"You're welcome!", Quark called out after her.  
  
As she approached the Promenade exit Angel's hand went to the multidevice on her wrist. "Delgado to [i}Aurora[/i]. Jarod, are you still there?"  
  
After a moment he replied. " _Jarod here._ "  
  
"I need you to scan for Cat's multidevice," she said. "And then tell me where she's gone."  
  
" _Is something wrong?_ "  
  
"Maybe…" She started to jog down the crossover bridge. She was thankful her skirt wasn't the long one that might have made moving fast difficult. "And I have to make sure, one way or the other."  
  
" _Alright, we're tracking her now. Starting to..._ " Jarod's voice cut off for a moment. " _Well, that's a problem._ "  
  
Angel's heart quickened. "Jarod?! What's a problem?!" She couldn't keep the growing fear, the panic, out of her voice.  
  
" _We've lost contact with Caterina's multidevice. We can't pick up the signal._ " There was more silence, save for the increasing thump of Angel's heart as she began to run. " _We're looking over her last location._ "  
  
"Contact the station officers if you need to!", Angel demanded. "We have to find Cat!"  
  
  
  
  
The warbling tone of the Cardassian communications system pulled Odo's concentration away from the reports on Ensign Merrill's murder. He reached for the comm badge he wore over his shape-shifted suit. "Odo here."  
  
Kira spoke from the other side. " _Constable, I'm relaying a hail from the_ Aurora _. One moment…_ "  
  
When the next voice started speaking, Odo recognized it as the _Aurora_ 's Commander Jarod. " _We've lost track of one of our officers. She was somewhere on the Habitat Ring when the signal gave out._ "  
  
Odo checked the internal security sensors. "Someone has disabled security in Section 25 of the Habitat Ring. We're completely blind there."  
  
" _Odo, we're trying to fix the problem from up here_ ," Kira said.  
  
"I'm checking records to see who has rented out rooms in that section," Odo explained. "But it appears to be empty."  
  
" _I'm heading toward Section 25 now_ ," Angel said over the speaker.  
  
"Going by the data Commander Jarod has sent, look on level four." Odo stood from his desk. "Corridor H-19. They have to be somewhere in that area. I'm on my way now."  
  
" _I'm informing Commander Meridina. I'll transport her to the station as soon as possible_ ," Jarod added.  
  
  
  
Caterina's mind was in a haze. Expectation, curiosity, fear, uncertainty, it all mingled together. She couldn't focus, couldn't concentrate, and her fear came from the realization she couldn't find the will to say no to the Asari.  
  
The station quarters she was led into were sparse and barely furnished. The Asari smiled at her and motioned to a couch, where she sat. "Come here," she cooed gently.  
  
Caterina didn't want to at this point. There was something wrong here. But she started to move to the couch anyway. Whatever she wanted, the requests of the Asari mattered more. She couldn't understand why.  
  
Once she was seated beside the dark-clad Asari, Caterina's eyes locked with hers. "You're not the most attractive Human I've seen," she seemed to admit. "But attraction goes beyond the physical. You are intelligent. Passionate."  
  
"I… I…"  
  
"Tell me, Caterina." The Asari grinned. "Have you ever known… affection?"  
  
"Aff-affection?", Caterina stammered.  
  
"The touch of another," the Asari clarified. "The caress of a lover."  
  
"Oh. Uh… n-no…" Caterina shook her head. "I ha-haven't."  
  
A wicked little laugh was the reply from the Asari. "Well, my poor dear. Doesn't that make you special?" Her hand touched Cat's cheek. "Haven't you ever dreamed of it, Caterina? The pleasure? The raw, pounding feeling of sex?"  
  
She was already blushing. "Dreamed… y-yes." She had dreamed, yes. But she'd never acted on anything like that. She had always focused on her scientific passions.  
  
And the fear. The fear of rejection. Rejection of her partner, or of her family, if they didn't approve...  
  
Cat gasped when the Asari responded with a kiss on her neck. She felt the Asari's breath on her, the feeling of her lips on her skin, and even with the haze her body felt electrified by the touch. Her breathing quickened.  
  
"Don't be shy," the Asari urged her.  
  
"Wh-what's y-your na-name?", Cat asked. "I for-forgot."  
  
"Well… I suppose it is fair for you to know." The Asari kissed her on the lips for a moment. Cat thought her heart would explode. The lips moved along her cheek to beside her ear.  
  
Her name was spoken in a whisper.  
  
"Morinth."  
  
  
  
Angel found Corridor H-19 and started to run along it. "I'm here. Do you have anything for me?"  
  
" _Meridina just beamed over on the other end of the corridor in that section. She'll work her way to you. Start moving to the left._ "  
  
Angel brought up her multidevice and kept going. "I'm getting life signs now. How?"  
  
" _Whatever jamming field that's been set up seems to exclude any effect from within,_ " Jarod speculated. " _Maybe whomever it is wants to be able to beam out of the field._ "  
  
"Well, I'm not too far, soon I'll…"  
  
And then Angel could hear it. Faint, obscured by the metal and structure of the station, but a sound she felt hardwired to respond to.  
  
It was Cat.  
  
_Screaming_.  
  
Every fiber of her body seemed to vibrate with rage. Something, _someone_ , was _hurting her little sister_. Angel looked down at her display again. She was close. Almost there…  
  
To her left Angel found a door. The scream was coming from inside. She hit the keypad to open it. " _Major Kira is about to override…_ "  
  
Jarod's voice didn't register. All Angel could hear was her sister crying out.  
  
She reached into the small of her back where her blouse and skirt met. Her pulse pistol was easily pulled from its hiding place - Constable Odo's regulations be damned, she wasn't about to stroll around a bunch of angry Klingons without a weapon - and brought to bear on the door. She turned it to its full setting and shot the door straight on. The Darglan-designed weapon did its job. The door half-vaporized, half-exploded in shards that flew into the room. Angel rushed in with the gun drawn.  
  
Cat was in the arms of a dark-clad Asari. Her screams had become weak. It looked for a moment like electricity was crackling between them. Angel raised her gun at the Asari and reset the power level to something lower.  
  
Others would have shouted a challenge. They would have demanded that Cat be released, demanded a surrender.  
  
Angel was not other people.  
  
The pulse pistol barked out.  
  
An instant before it would have hit Morinth's head, blue energy surged between them. The shot dissipated before it hit anything.  
  
Nevertheless Cat's cries stopped. The electrical effect faded. Morinth scowled at her and pushed Cat over on her back against the couch. "If you're that eager for me, you just had to wait your turn," she said.  
  
" _Step away from her you bitch!_ ", Angel screamed. She kept the pulse pistol lifted.  
  
"Why don't you put that gun down and we'll talk about it?"  
  
For a moment the suggestion seemed to pierce Angel's anger. It sounded reasonable. No need to do anything else. Just lower the gun.  
  
But it didn't quite make it. Angel was too full of anger to heed it. She fired again.  
  
This pulse struck the field again and dissipated as the last, but with the field clearly weakening. Angel pulled the trigger again and…  
  
Morinth scowled fiercely. Her arm shot forward. A bolt of blue energy zipped across the room and slammed into Angel. She was thrown back into the far wall. A cry of pain came from her throat as she started to stand. Rage was still twisting her features as she struggled to stand despite the pain.  
  
"You've never fought a biotic before, have you?", Morinth said. "You've never had a warp field trying to tear your body's molecules apart. The pain is _exquisite_ , is it not?"  
  
"Won't… let you…"  
  
Morinth threw another warp bolt. Angel flipped over along her side and hit the wall again. She lost her grip on her gun.  
  
"I can see the resemblance," Morinth said. "A sister. I've never taken sisters together before. This will be fun." She took the steps between her and Angel with deliberate, bemused speed. Angel writhed from the effects of the warp field on her body. "Come here, lovely. I'm…"  
  
There was a rustling of feathers on the air. Angel noticed a bird fly through what was left of the door. Morinth began to turn toward it with surprise. _What's a bird doing…_ , Angel was thinking.  
  
And then it wasn't a bird. It turned amber and expanded outward, like a liquid that had been under pressure, until it assumed the shape of a creature that looked like a cross between a gorilla and a lizard. When the creature struck Morinth it knocked her over with a ferocious punch and landed on top of her. Morinth cried out in pain and surprise at the impact that knocked her to the floor so violently. The creature rolled with the same impact and grabbed at one of her arms.  
  
" _Get off of me!_ ", Morinth screamed. A wave of pure biotic power erupted from her body and threw the lizard-gorilla thing into the ceiling. Angel was thrown back into the wall from where she was trying to stand. The furnishings were all flipped or smashed by the wave. Cat was thrown over with the couch she was still laying on.  
  
The effect was the most interesting on the attacking creature. As it hit the ceiling of the quarters its shape seemed to lose cohesion. The same dull brownish-amber fluid started to form along its limbs and torso.  
  
Morinth rolled on the floor and threw a biotic bolt at the creature. It jumped toward the opposite wall, regaining cohesion as it did.   
  
Angel got to her feet and charged. Morinth was too busy tracking her other target to see Angel coming. She cried out in shock when Angel's fist slammed into her jaw, knocking out a tooth in a spray of purple blood. She reached for Morinth's arm just as it came up toward her and grabbed it, twisting it behind Morinth's body in a submission hold.  
  
Morinth gathered biotic energy to throw at Angel. But she never got a chance to use it. The lizard-gorilla thing jumped in and grabbed the other arm. Morinth screamed in frustration as Angel and her ally brought her to her knees.  
  
Another figure appeared at the door. Meridina had her _lakesh_ drawn and ready. Seeing what was inside she held the sword back and raised a hand. " _Sleep_ ", she intoned, backing it with a powerful mental compulsion.  
  
Morinth howled in rage instead. " _Let me go!_ " Her biotics flared up one more time. A pulse of biotic energy erupted from her body and threw back her attackers. Meridina focused with her own power and blocked the pulse from having any effect upon her.  
  
The last pulse of biotic energy had exhausted Morinth's reserves for the moment. Meridina saw her short window of opportunity and seized it. " _Sleep_ ," she repeated.  
  
This time, Morinth pitched forward. She groaned before falling into a slumber.  
  
The lizard-gorilla got up first. Or rather, it turned into the same dull brown-amber fluid and reformed into a proper, and quite familiar, humanoid shape. Odo reached down and picked up his prisoner. He looked to Meridina. "Thank you, Commander, for your assistance."  
  
Meridina nodded.  
  
Angel had scrambled to her feet at this point. "Cat!", she shouted. She went to the toppled couch where Morinth had left Caterina and pulled it off of her. Her sister was laid out on the floor, completely unconscious. "Cat, are you okay?"  
  
There was no answer.  
  
Odo's hand went to his comm badge. "Odo to Bashir. Medical emergency in the Habitat Ring, Section 25 Level 4, Corridor H19."  
  
Bashir's reply was immediate. " _We're on our way, Constable._ "  
  
"She's barely breathing," Angel said. She picked Cat up and held her close. "Cat. Cat, please wake up. I'm here." As she spoke tears began to flow down her cheeks. All of the anger, the rage, had been replaced by terrible fear. A voice inside of her terrified at the thought that she had been too late. Too late to protect her little sister as she had promised to do so long ago.  
  
With no reaction coming from her little sister, Angel began to sob. It was the only outlet she had for the feelings swelling inside of her.  
  
  
  
  
Robert and Julia had excused themselves from Senator Kiang's staff room the moment they were informed of what happened. Sisko met them in the infirmary where Cat was laid out on a bed, wearing one of the DS9 medical gowns. She was still completely unconscious.  
  
Angel was sitting beside her, holding Cat's hand and running the other hand over her face. Her blouse was slightly torn on the right side. Tears were still flowing down her pale cheeks. Robert didn't need his new senses to know just how she was taking it - rage and hate and fear and horror were all mixed up inside of her. He stepped up and embraced her from the side wordlessly. There was nothing that could be said to diminish Angel's worry. "What happened?", he asked, the question directed to everyone.  
  
"She was attacked by this Asari…", Angel began. "She did something to Cat. Got her to follow her to a room in the Habitat Ring. She was making her scream by the time I got there."  
  
"Once I secured her condition I scanned Lieutenant Delgado to determine what happened," Bashir said. "Her nervous system has suffered extensive damage. I won't know the extent of it, and if she will recover, until we run some more tests. Doctor Gillam is already running some advanced tests with his medbay's equipment which should help us determine an appropriate treatment course."  
  
That brought the rapt attention of Odo. "Doctor, are you saying this is what happened to Ensign Merrill?", he asked.  
  
The reply was joined by a nod. "I am fairly certain, yes."  
  
"So this Asari has already killed someone." Robert looked over at them.  
  
"So it seems." Sisko nodded. "Constable, what do we know about the prisoner?"  
  
"She arrived on the station yesterday," Odo answered. "According to her identification her name is Rila t'Gomi. But I suspect that identification has been forged. I've sent inquiries to Citadel Security to see if they have her on file. If not I will move on to the Asari security forces."  
  
"There's more than one, I think," Robert said. He was still keeping a supportive arm around Angel.  
  
Odo looked at him. "Hrm?"  
  
"The Asari Republics are a loose confederation of e-democracies, Constable," Julia explained. "They have a lot of different police and security agencies between them. I'm not sure how networked or linked they are."  
  
"Representative Irissa might be able to help," Robert suggested. "We could ask her in the morning before the next summit meeting."  
  
"I'll make the arrangements myself," Sisko said. "In the meantime, I want a full watch on our prisoner. Tell me if she says anything."  
  
"Of course, Captain." Odo nodded to him and then to Robert and Julia. He departed the infirmary.  
  
"I'll see you in the morning, Captain Sisko," Robert said.  
  
The reply was a wordless nod, after which Sisko also departed.  
  
"As if this summit wasn't tense enough," Julia sighed. She looked over at the bed where Cat was laying. "Poor Cat. What was she doing with that Asari?"  
  
"Knowing Cat, she followed her across the station asking questions," Robert said softly. "Julia, I'll be staying with Angel. Alright?"  
  
Julia very nearly protested that. Robert was part of the delegation too. He needed rest to be at his best form. But the look on his face told her that he would need some time. "Alright. I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
One of Bashir's Bajoran nurses had already acquired another chair for him. Robert sat into it, beside Angel. He put his hand on top of Angel's, which was still holding Cat's hand. "Between Bashir and Leo, she's in good hands, Angel," Robert assured Angel. "And I'll be here with you the entire time."  
  
Angel nodded. "Thank you."  
  
  
  
  
Odo returned to the security office and pulled out the pail he used for resting into his natural state. There could be no chances taken with the prisoner in the cells, not when she was capable of such displays of power.  
  
A quick check of the comm logs showed that C-Sec had registered his request for information. He had never had an opportunity to work with the agency so he had little idea how long it would take.  
  
Before taking to his pail, Odo stepped back into the cells. The largest cell with the strongest forcefield held the Asari prisoner. She was still unconscious for the moment. Standing a distance away from the cells was Commander Meridina in her duty uniform. Odo noted that her memory-metal blade was in its place on one hip with an Alliance pulse pistol on the other. "Has she woken up?", he asked.  
  
"No," Meridina replied. "I am not keeping her in a sleeping state. I would suggest, from my knowledge of biotics, that her body exhausted much of its immediate energy reserves in her battle with you and Lieutenant Delgado. I expect she will be hungry when she wakes up." She turned her head to face Odo. "If it is permissible to you, Constable, I would like to post guards. Dorei personnel. Asari have some telepathic capability and the Dorei are resistant to mental influence."  
  
"Your offer is accepted, Commander," Odo replied.  
  
She nodded. "Will Angela face any recriminations for the damage she caused?"  
  
Odo allowed himself a thin smile. "I don't think there will be an issue."  
  
"Thank you. She cares so deeply for her sister." Meridina's expression remained calm. But Odo could see there was a great deal of concern behind the calm, hidden in the specific tremors of her voice and the look in her eyes. "What of Caterina?"  
  
"Lieutenant Delgado's condition is stable." Odo looked back to the Asari. "She had more luck than Ensign Merrill." A moment passed. "You have had more contact with the Asari than I, Commander. Have you ever heard of any possessing the ability to fry out a being's nervous system?"  
  
"I have not," Meridina replied. "Although I admit I am hardly an expert." A thought came to her. " _Mastrash_ Satrin has been visiting Thessia to learn more about Asari culture. I will sent an inquiry to her and share the reply with you."  
  
"Your assistance is appreciated, Commander." Odo felt fatigue ripple through his being. Holding his humanoid shape was becoming a real burden and the urge to return to his basic state was strong. "I'll be in the security office resting if you need me."  
  
Meridina nodded. "Of course, Constable. May you rest well."  
  
  
  
  
Stimulants and coffee were keeping Robert awake when he and Captain Sisko entered the quarters assigned to Representative Irissa. An Asari with a purple complexion met them at the door. "The Representative will be with you shortly, sirs," she said politely. "May I get you any refreshments?"  
  
"No thank you," Robert answered.  
  
"That won't be necessary," Sisko added.  
  
"This way, please."  
  
The main living area of the quarters had been converted into a meeting room for the Asari diplomatic staff. Several of them were here and there, going over digital readouts on their omnitools or writing on the main computers with hard-light keyboards. Sisko took a seat beside the head of the table. "Long night?"  
  
"I was with Angel all night," Robert answered. "Watching over her sister."  
  
Sisko nodded in understanding. "Doctor Bashir will do everything he can to help your officer."  
  
"I know." Robert shook his head. "I just don't like the coincidence. This Asari serial killer shows up just as this summit starts?  
  
"I can see what you mean," Sisko said. "And there is the matter of dealing with the prisoner. The Bajorans don't have the facilities to deal with a being like that."  
  
"The Gersallians do." Robert rubbed at his eyes. His thoughts were sharp now, but once the caffeine and the stimulants started to metabolize fully his thoughts would slow to a crawl. It was something he knew from experience. "The issue becomes, will Bajor and Starfleet agree to an extradit…"  
  
The door to the bedroom opened and Representative Irissa stepped out. She had the cultivated grace of an Asari official about her that hid the cold, unfeeling persona Robert had already experienced in the prior day's talks. She had been utterly ruthless in the prior day's debates, cutting into his and Sonek Pran's arguments while being quick to smack down the Klingons if she wanted to. Robert waited for Sisko, as commander of the station, to begin the conversation. "Representative." He stood and offered his hand. Irissa appraised the offered hand for a moment before giving it a quick and imperceptible handshake. "Thank you for agreeing to meet with us."  
  
"I warn you, Captain, that I will not discuss any of the matters before the summit in this environment," Irissa announced. She looked to Robert. "With either of you."  
  
"That's not why we asked for this meeting." Sisko returned to his seat. Robert exchanged the same quick, professional handshake with Irissa as she sat down at the head of the table. "Have you heard of an Asari calling herself Rila t'Gomi?"  
  
Irissa shook her head. "I have not."  
  
"She arrived on the station a few days ago," Sisko revealed. "We believe her responsible for the murder of a Starfleet officer and the attempted murder of one of Captain Dale's officers."  
  
Irissa's lips thinned. Robert's developing senses detected a hint of displeasure that didn't seem surprising. "Whomever she is, Captain, I will look into the matter." Irissa folded her hands together. "Tell me… what was her method of killing? It will assist in determining potential suspects from our files."  
  
Robert's senses were starting to give off warning signals. Irissa's question sounded innocent enough, yes, but he started to feel that there was more to it.  
  
"According to Doctor Bashir, the victims' nervous systems had been burnt out with some sort of weapon," Sisko answered. "We have a witness to the second attack who can give further testimony."  
  
Irissa seemed to contemplate Sisko's reply. "I see." She went into deep thought. After several moments she activated her omnitool. "Gentlemen, may I suggest that it might be best if you turn custody of your prisoner over to my people?"  
  
Sisko put his hands on the table. "I don't have the authority to agree to such a transfer, Representative. While this station is under Starfleet regulations, the system is Bajoran territory."  
  
"And since it was our officer she nearly killed last night, the Alliance also has a right to trying her," Robert pointed out.  
  
Irissa surveyed them each coldly. "Gentlemen, I assure you that we will deal swiftly and justly with the killer. But under no circumstances can we accept leaving this Asari in your custody. It would be… irresponsible."  
  
"Irresponsible?", Sisko asked.  
  
"She is a biotic, obviously. Your people have no experience in the incarceration of biotics," Irissa pointed out. "I would abhor the thought of this killer getting free to inflict harm on the people of an innocent world, and wherever else she might go upon her escape. And trust me, Captains, she would escape."  
  
"You seem awfully sure for someone you've never heard of," Sisko remarked. "Representative, for the good relations of our people, I hope you're not hiding anything from us."  
  
"I am fulfilling my purpose…"  
  
Irissa continued to state her argument. Robert was more focused on the thoughts coming from her. He was nowhere near the level he needed to sense things like Meridina.  
  
That didn't mean he couldn't do anything, though. He could sense the aggravation and concern radiating from her.  
  
Though those feelings, a specific word was prominent in her thoughts.  
  
Robert brought his hand up. "Pardon me, Representative?""  
  
Irissa looked away from the scowling Sisko to him. "Captain?"  
  
With great care Robert put his hands together on the table and spoke. "This Rila t'Gomi… would she happen to be an Ardat-Yakshi?"  
  
For a moment Irissa's eyes widened with shock. Stifled anger and disbelief radiated from her in a way that Robert could feel even now. When she resumed speaking, it was nearly through clenched teeth. "The Ardat-Yakshi are a myth, Captain. I don't know where you heard about them, but I will _not_ tolerate you spewing those lies about my people!"  
  
Robert nearly leaned back in his chair. Irissa's anger was almost inconceivable in the face of the question. "It was a simple inquiry, Rep…"  
  
Irissa turned her glare to Sisko. "Captain Sisko, I will arrange for an Asari team to remove your prisoner to face judgement on Thessia. Rest assured she _will_ pay for her crime."  
  
Sisko met the glare calmly. "And as I have already stated, this station is Bajoran territory, and the last time I checked, the Asari Republics do not have any standing agreements with Bajor for extradition of Asari criminals." Sisko shook his head. "Until such a time as the Bajorans say otherwise, Miss t'Gomi will stay in _our_ holding cells."  
  
Irissa clearly did not like that. But it was a cold smile that crossed her face. "Of course," she said. "You are doing your duty. Rest assured, Captain Sisko, you will have just such an extradition order from the Bajorans on your desk quite soon." She turned back to Robert. "As for you, Captain Dale, I advise you show more care in talking about such things. As things are now, the Asari people are deeply sympathetic toward your Alliance and supportive of your war effort against the Nazi German Empire. To learn that the Alliance's representatives were speaking of such things might change that." She stood. "If you will excuse me, Captains, I must get ready for the day's sessions."  
  
"Of course, Madame Representative. Thank you for your time." Sisko's response was the formal gratitude expected, regardless of the exchange. He seemed as agitated as Robert felt.  
  
The two departed the quarters together and walked toward the nearest lift. "It's obvious they're hiding something," Sisko stated upon entering a lift. "What have you heard about these 'Ardat-Yakshi'?"  
  
"Nothing." Robert shook his head. "It was just a term I've heard of, related to the Asari and killings."  
  
"Do you have any way of finding out more?"  
  
"Perhaps. Not too likely, I'd guess." Robert thought on it. "One of Meridina's old teachers is on Thessia as part of a cultural study tour, though. She might have heard something. I'll make inquiries and share what I find out."  
  
"Good. In the meantime, you'd better get ready for the summit meeting."  
  
Robert nodded in reply. He was not particularly looking forward to the summit meeting. Having Irissa mad at him would make it even less enjoyable.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An alien serial killer stalks the corridors of Deep Space Nine during a vital diplomatic summit.

In the infirmary, Leo and Bashir were looking over Caterina while Angel remained quiet beside her. "Her condition continues to be stable," Bashir noted. "Although that is not saying much. The nerve damage has severely impacted her physiology."  
  
Leo nodded in agreement. "It could take her a while to wake up, Angel. And, to be honest, she may not be in the best shape when she does wake up."  
  
Angel looked at him. "What do you mean?"  
  
"There could be permanent damage," Leo answered. "It might impact her motor skills or her ability to walk. It may even have an effect upon her mind."  
  
"We can't rule anything out at this juncture." Bashir looked back to his PADD. "Of course, she could also be capable of making a full recovery. That can't be ruled out either."  
  
Angel frowned. She looked up toward them. "Isn't there anything you can do for her though? With all of that fancy medical technology?"  
  
"Nerve cell regeneration is a slow process and can have its own complications," Bashir replied. "It's best to wait and see if it is truly necessary."  
  
"Right."  
  
Leo walked around the bed and put a hand on Angel's shoulder. "It'll be alright, Angel. We'll take good care of her."  
  
A number of Leo's medical staff entered the infirmary at that moment. They were bringing along an anti-grav stretcher. "We're ready, sir," one of the attending nurses said.  
  
Leo nodded to Bashir and gestured at his people to approach. Bashir stepped out of the way and observed as the medical team carefully moved Caterina onto the stretcher.  
  
"What are you doing?", Angel asked Leo.  
  
"We're transferring her to the _Aurora_ medbay. The _St. Johns_ will be ferrying her back to prevent any complications with the transporter." Leo offered Angel a hand to help her stand. She did so without accepting it. "Do you want to ride with her?"  
  
"Yes." Angel nodded. "Of course." She turned her head to Bashir. "Thank you, Doctor Bashir, for helping her."  
  
"It was no trouble," Bashir assured her. "Doctor Gillam, please keep me informed?"  
  
"Of course. I'll consult with you as necessary, Doctor Bashir."  
  
With Caterina secured to the stretcher, the _Aurora_ personnel departed the infirmary.  
  
  
  
  
After a good deal of fussing and shouting and general lack of progress, the day's first summit meeting ended with a recess until the evening. Robert excused himself and beamed back to the _Aurora_ with Julia. She was on her way to lunch and a bridge watch shift. Robert, in turn, went back to his quarters, replicated a fruit snack bar that he wolfed down in a couple of minutes, and promptly went to bed.  
  
The good thing was that he was too tired to dream. He fell asleep almost immediately.  
  
His sound sleep was interrupted by a persistent chirping tone from his multidevice. Robert let out a moan of annoyance that became a yawn. His arm flailed out and his hand fumbled over the device until his finger found the comm key on it. "Dale here," he mumbled.  
  
" _Captain._ " It was Meridina. " _You wanted to be informed when_ Mastrash _Satrin returned my message?_ "  
  
"Yeah."  
  
" _I have received a reply. It is… interesting, but quite disturbing as well. I can show it to you in my office._ "  
  
Robert yawned and checked the time. He had about ninety minutes before the summit was due to resume. "I'll be down in about half an hour, Meridina."  
  
  
  
  
There was nobody else in the security office when Robert arrived. Meridina gestured to her chair and hit a key to activate the office's own security functions, ensuring nobody could just walk in on them or use the standard systems to eavesdrop.  
  
"Normally I don't peg you for the paranoid type," Robert remarked while sitting.  
  
"Normally I do not have information this sensitive," she replied. " _Mastrash_ Satrin has sent back an interesting report."  
  
"About the Ardat-Yakshi?"  
  
Meridina gave him a curious look. "I have not shared this term with anyone. Where did you learn of it?"  
  
"Irissa was mentally broadcasting for anyone to hear."  
  
"Understandable. From what Satrin's research gathers, the issue of the Ardat-Yakshi is of great sensitivity to the Asari."  
  
That wasn't surprising to Robert. Irissa had all but confirmed that with her threats. "I could tell. So what are they?"  
  
"It appears to be a mutation in the Asari genetic structure." Robert was amused to see her cheeks turning a little pink. "It is related to Asari reproduction."  
  
"As in sex."  
  
"Quite." Meridina folded her hands on the table. "Generally speaking, the Asari reproduce through parthenogenesis. Their nervous systems interact with those of their mates and randomizes DNA cell information in new Asari embryos."  
  
"I remember this," Robert said. "It's why the Asari can have children with non-Asari. They actually have a stigma now against Asari born of two Asari. 'Purebloods', I think?"  
  
"Yes." Meridina nodded. "And this may be the reason for that stigma. It appears that Ardat-Yakshi are only ever the result of a union between two Asari."  
  
"Just what are they then? Disposed to murder biotically?"  
  
"No. Satrin has found manuscripts during her studies, old works from before the time the Asari became space-faring and made contact with other species. The Ardat-Yakshi were more plentiful in these earlier eras. They are sterile Asari and cannot reproduce. Instead, during their act of procreation, their nervous system does not simply bond with that of their partner, but rather it overwhelms it and burns it out."  
  
"Like what happened to Cat and Ensign Merrill," Robert said. _Oh no, if Angel finds this out…_ To find out her sister was not just nearly killed but had essentially been raped in the process would drive Angel _ballistic_.  
  
Meridina clearly picked up that concern. "Yes." Her expression now showed an element of distaste. "It also appears that the Ardat-Yakshi become addicted to this process. They grow to enjoy the killing."  
  
"What do the Asari do with them these days? Did Satrin find out?"  
  
"No. It is not something they share with outsiders. The very idea of the Ardat-Yakshi seems to be hidden from non-Asari."  
  
"Which explains the reaction Irissa had when I used the term." Robert felt a surge of anger at Irissa. He focused and suppressed it. Of course the Asari wouldn't be open about the Ardat-Yakshi. It was a deep shame to them. The Ardat-Yakshi were contrary to the very basis of their civilization.  
  
"Yes." Meridina tapped something on her system. " _Mastrash_ Satrin has other duties that require her to avoid difficulties with the Asari. This will regretfully restrain her in attempts to learn more. Nevertheless she will do what she can to give me more information."  
  
"I think we've learned just about enough." Robert stood. "I need to let Sisko and Kira know about this. They may want to take up Irissa's offer."  
  
"It is advisable. The Ardat-Yakshi are reputed to have refined their telepathic abilities to permit domination of others' minds. There are few species that could safely contain them." Meridina got up from her chair and circled her desk. She would join him in heading over to the station.  
  
  
  
  
When Robert arrived on the Ops level, Sisko and Kira were looking up at the oval-shaped Cardassian viewscreen. A Bajoran woman of middle-age, with sandy brown hair and drawn eyes, was seated at a desk. " _...complete agreement with the delegation, Major, Captain. And our arrangement is final._ "  
  
"They are hiding something, Minister," Kira protested. "And all this means is that the Asari and all of these other species will think they can bribe us into giving up on our rights."  
  
" _This isn't bribery, Major_ ," the Bajoran woman spat. " _This is practical diplomacy. The Asari are a very wealthy people. We are not. The offer of aid that I have been given more than compensates for any issues you have brought up. The order is final. Prepare the Asari prisoner for transfer to an incoming Asari transport ship._ "  
  
The minister hit a key on her desk and her image was replaced by the Bajoran national insignia.  
  
Sisko and Kira turned toward Robert with irritated looks on both. "I take it you heard?"  
  
Robert nodded. "Yes. And given what Meridina's contact on Thessia found out, this might be for the best, Captain."  
  
Sisko gestured toward his office.  
  
  
  
Several minutes later, the commander of _Deep Space Nine_ was rolling his baseball around in his hand. Beside him, Major Kira had a pensive look on her face. "So that's what this is? The Asari have these lunatics running around murdering people like that?"  
  
"Not many, from what we've gathered," Robert replied. "We don't know what they do with anyone who has the potential. But given the lack of murder sprees in their home universe, they clearly have the problem mostly under control."  
  
"Except for this 't'Gomi' person," Sisko pointed out. "And now I have to turn over the murderer of one of my officers without any idea at all on whether she'll be punished."  
  
"They're more concerned with keeping the Ardat-Yakshi a secret," Robert pointed out. "A criminal trial in a Federation or Bajoran court would have it come out. I suppose a defense attorney could even use the condition to argue for clemency of some sort. A variation of the insanity defense."  
  
"It certainly explains why the Asari are ready to pour so much money into the Bajoran economy," Kira noted. "They're buying our cooperation."  
  
"And our silence." Sisko thumped his hand on the table. "And the damndest thing is… I'm going to go along with it. Bajor could use the aid and we could use the good relations with the Asari."  
  
"You'll get no argument from me on that, Captain," Robert said. "As much as I'd like to see her pay for hurting Cat…" He pushed that thought aside. "Did they say when the ship would be coming?"  
  
"No. But I got the impression this was a high priority for them. So I expect to see them soon."  
  
"Right." Robert nodded. "Well, I suppose that's it for this matter. If anything happens, I'd like to be informed. But for now, I have to get back to the summit and put up with more of K'mbok's bellowing."  
  
  
  
"Ingratitude! That is what we are assailed by! Colossal ingratitude!"  
  
K'mbok's fist slammed on the table repeatedly. He glared down at both Sonek Pran and then, with a turn of his head, to the Alliance table and Senator Kiang. "The Klingon Empire has stood with the Federation against the Romulans. We have sent warriors to die in battle against the Nazi Empire. And now we are betrayed. Betrayed by allies without the stomach to realize the threat posed by the Cardassians!"  
  
"You haven't proven they were a threat requiring an invasion to eliminate, Councillor," Pran pointed out delicately. "Had you proven the Dominion infiltration, the Federation would have stood with you."  
  
K'mbok glared hatred in reply. "And such is the loyalty of the Federation to dismiss the honest words of their allies. We shouldn't _need_ to prove ourselves to you! The alliance would still stand if you had honored your word and supported us.  
  
"That treaty was not made to require the Federation to agg…"  
  
"This argument misses the salient point of the issue," Kiang insisted. "The Klingon Empire invaded Cardassia on the charge that the Cardassian government had been taken over by the Dominion Founders. Those same government officials were tested and found to not be Changelings." Kiang put her hands together on the table. "Therefore the Klingon Empire has no reason to continue to hold Cardassian territory. By refusing to withdraw, you prove that your real motive was territorial aggression, not the safety of the Alpha Quadrant from the Dominion."  
  
At that General Martok erupted from his chair and smashed his fist to the table. "Klingon warriors died to seize those worlds!", he shouted. "We will not dishonor their sacrifices by handing them back over! That is not our way!"  
  
"No." Kiang looked at him coldly. "Your way is to abandon the allies you swore to fight beside in order to take gains for yourself. How many of _our_ soldiers and crewmen have died fighting the Nazis in battles caused by the withdrawal of your forces from the front?"  
  
"The safety of the Alpha Quadrant is more important," Martok retorted.  
  
"More important than your word of…"  
  
"Please, gentlebeings." Sonek Pran stood and leaned on the table. "We are rehashing old conflicts. If we are to salvage anything of our relations, we must look to reconciliation, not recrimination."  
  
K'mbok thrust a finger at the Federation diplomat. "If you want 'reconciliation', then you must accept the needs of the Empire. The Klingon Empire regards the Cardassian government as a threat to the stability of the Alpha Quadrant. They are too weak to resist the Dominion. Let us assume control over them."  
  
"That would destabilize the balance of power," Robert pointed out. "The Romulans won't accept that."  
  
"Too bad for them," K'mbok chuckled. "If they wish to fight us, then our powers together can crush them. Your interuniversal drives will guarantee us a swift victory."  
  
"There has to be another solution." Now Julia joined the conversation. "If the Cardassians are really that unstable now, maybe all of our governments should work together to re-stabilize them. Put together a new Cardassian government with enough legitimacy and power to defend against Changeling infiltration."  
  
Sonek Pran shook his head. "All you would do is incite the Cardassians into revolution against us. And you're already in one war. You don't have the resources to hold against them, and the Federation will not approve."  
  
"Even if the alternative is Klingon conquest…?"  
  
"Yes." Sonek Pran nodded. "The Federation does not play these kinds of power politics."  
  
"Which is why you are weak, and you will not survive," Martok growled. "Spineless as always."  
  
There was silence in the room. Representative Irissa stood. "It's clear to me that this summit is becoming a waste of time," she said. "We will adjourn for the day. If no progress is made by tomorrow, I will submit to our governments that the summit is over."  
  
"I am done talking anyway," K'mbok stated. He glared at both the Alliance and Federation tables. "That is all you are good for. Talk." After barking orders to his guard in Klingon, K'mbok stood and went for the door. Martok followed behind.  
  
Sonek Pran and his team exchanged dour, sad looks as they filed out. Kiang left with her staff in no rush. Soon the only two people in the room were Robert and Julia. "This is going badly," Robert lamented.  
  
"I'm not sure it could go anywhere but bad," she answered. "There's no reconciling these differences, I'm afraid."  
  
"The Klingons are going to pull out of the Nazi War." Robert stood up and looked toward the display of the front. "We'll have to pull back. Worlds that we've liberated will fall to the Nazis again, and they'll do God-knows-what to the people who welcomed us." He swallowed. "Maybe we should accede. Let the Klingons have what they want, if they'll support us."  
  
Julia gave him a glare. "You don't mean that."  
  
"No. No I don't. They'd just demand more." He sighed and slumped into a chair. "It's all gone wrong, Julia. We were doing so well, and now it's being ruined."  
  
"Maybe we shouldn't have trusted on the other races getting as involved as we needed," Julia remarked. "The Citadel Council, the InterStellar Alliance, the Federation and Klingons… they all have their own problems to face. And then we eliminated the risk that the Reich would get their hands on that Darglan Facility, so we removed the main reason they were backing the war in the first place."  
  
"So we're victims of our own success." Robert chuckled bitterly. "Isn't that how it usually goes?"  
  
"Yeah." Julia gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Want to grab something to eat? I hear the Bajoran restaurant is really good."  
  
Robert shook his head. "No. I need to go to the medbay and check up on Angel and Cat."  
  
Julia nodded in understanding. "Of course. I'll see you later then. Please let them know I'll be by later?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
  
  
  
Odo was busy with a petty criminal complaint when Meridina entered his security office. He waved her back to the cells before returning to his work.  
  
In the cell area, Meridina's personnel were at their positions. Lieutenant Damys Sharal was a teal-skinned Lenari, one of the northern nations of Doreia, with light purple spots and deep blue hair. Her partner on the watch was Lieutenant Mayao, a purple-skinned blue-spotted Dorei who was fidgeting for the moment with his wedding bracelet.  
  
In the cell "Rila t'Gomi" was awake. She was looking out at the Dorei with clear interest, the interest a hunting cat might give to prospective prey. The same interest glistened in her eyes when she looked on to Meridina. "A Gersallian," she purred. "I've always found it odd that one species can look so much like another and yet be so different."  
  
"Such is life," Meridina noted. "What is your real name?"  
  
That won her a chuckle. "Why don't you read my mind and find out?"  
  
"And let you have an opening to attack me mentally? No." Meridina shook her head. "You are not Rila t'Gomi. But while I do not know your name, I know what you are."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"You are an Ardat-Yakshi."  
  
A low, sensual laugh came from the Asari. "Well. How interesting. You've stumbled upon the dirty little secret of the Asari." She leaned forward. "Now you really have my interest, Gersallian."  
  
Meridina did not show any interest in remarking on that. "We are in contact with Asari authorities on the issue. I am told the Bajoran government is handing you over to them."  
  
"Of course they are. It's safer for them." The killer paced her cell "And here I was getting used to this place. It has its… charms."  
  
"I am aware that your condition is genetic," Meridina continued. "Have your people never found a cure?"  
  
"A cure?" She shook her head and laughed. "Why would I want a cure? This is what my people were meant to be. I am the genetic destiny of my species. The ultimate evolution of the Asari."  
  
Meridina left the air silent for a moment. "An odd argument, given that your kind are sterile."  
  
"Or so they want us to believe."  
  
"What is your name?", Meridina asked. "Truly?"  
  
"It is irrelevant," was the reply. The prisoner kept her eyes, of gray-blue cold, intent upon Meridina. "You and I are alike, I sense. You are powerful, capable. More than these Humans you obey. You waste your power with them."  
  
"Power alone is nothing," Meridina answered. "I have purpose. You do not."  
  
"I have all the purpose I need." The Asari's tone was full of confidence. Insistence. "To be free. To do as I please. To be what I am."  
  
"To murder those who gave you no offense."  
  
"Offense has nothing to do with it." The Asari stepped to the edge of the forcefield restraining her. "You have chased a quarry before. Tell me you did not find joy in it. The thrill of the chase. The way your blood burns with the need to prevail. The elation when you've brought your prey down and the look in their eyes when they know they are caught. When they see they have fallen to you and that mercy will not be coming, that there is no more hope for them." She closed her eyes and gasped in pleasure. "That feeling. That sweet sensation. I adore it so."  
  
"And that is what you felt when you attacked Caterina."  
  
"Sweet. So sweet," she purred.  
  
Meridina stopped speaking. The sensations oozing from the Ardat-Yakshi were dark and putrid. A love of murder and cruelty, a desire to dominate with such focus that Meridina had never seen before, even compared to being exposed to the likes of the SS man Fassbinder or the pirates she had infiltrated as a Knight of Swenya.  
  
"Oh, poor thing. I disgust you, don't I?" The Asari's laugh was one of bemusement. "Well, to make it up to you Commander, I'll give you my name after all. I am Morinth."  
  
"Morinth. Why did you come to _Deep Space Nine_?"  
  
"Because I've never been here before," she answered. "A new hunting ground always promises interest. Testing the people here, how effective they are in hunting me, hunting them myself… it's what I've lived for over the centuries of my life." Morinth returned to her cell's bench and lounged on it. "I'm starved. Might I have some food?" She cackled. "Normal food, of course. I'll save you for later."  
  
Meridina narrowed her eyes. She looked to Mayao and nodded. He went to the replicator while Sharal drew her pistol. Meridina took her _lakesh_ in one hand without extending it.  
  
A whir and flash of light appeared in the replicator. Mayao took the food tray over to the cell opening. A press of a button lowered the forcefield. In one movement he put the tray down and promptly re-activated the field.  
  
Morinth hadn't moved. Now she did, picking up the tray. "I'm curious as to who will pick me up," she admitted. "Please tell me you'll be here for that, Commander Meridina?" She smiled thinly. "I do so love an audience."  
  
Meridina didn't give Morinth the satisfaction of a response. She left the cell area and went out to Odo's office. Odo was no longer looking over paperwork. The image on his desk showed the cell area with other data. "Her name is likely a fake," he pointed out.  
  
"It is," she replied. "But a name she prefers, not simply a false name."  
  
"Still, I'll run her through the database. For all the good it will do us. The Asari will be here shortly to pick her up." Odo made his typical "harrumph" sound. "I, for one, can't wait to get her off my station."  
  
"You will get your wish soon enough." Meridina frowned. Morinth had not seemed too concerned by the knowledge her people were coming for her. "What concerns me is that Morinth seems to have that wish too."  
  
"I'll keep an eye on her, Commander," Odo promised. "She's not going anywhere."  
  
  
  
  
The medbay on the _Aurora_ was quiet. For Leo, this meant time to do inventory checks and equipment testing, not to mention the paperwork that came with the job.  
  
For the moment, though, he was watching over his friends. His eyes kept going to the readouts on Caterina's bed, showing her vital signs. A specialized scan he had set up monitored the neural activity of her body, allowing him to tell if her nervous system was recovering properly or not. So far, he had reason to hope at least.  
  
Cat was still unconscious for the moment, and thankfully so as the pain she would be in if awake would be constant due to the neurological damage. Angel had remained at her side the entire day, holding her hand and occasionally speaking to her. Leo checked the clock. Robert had promised to be back as soon as the summit was over for the day and he had written his report to Admiral Maran. Until then, it was just the two sisters.  
  
"If she doesn't get better…" Angel looked up at Leo. "Don't sugarcoat it, Leo. Tell me what will happen."  
  
"It depends," he sighed. "If it's just general neurological damage… well, she could still have a mostly normal life, I suppose. We have medications that could deaden the nerves and control the pain."  
  
"Pain?"  
  
"Yes." He nodded. "She'd be in pain most of the time, Angel. From the damage to her central nervous system. If the damage is severe enough and can't heal, it might also impact her motor functions. She might have trouble walking, or talking. It might even have an effect on her mind."  
  
Angel sniffled. "So my sister will either be in constant agony or she'll… she won't be able to do what she loves."  
  
"That's a worst case scenario, Angel, you don't have to…"  
  
Angel glared at him through the hot tears on her face. "Don't have to what, Leo?! Think of how my little sister's been hurt?! Think of all the times she's been hurt since we came out here, all the times I failed to be there for her?!"  
  
Leo shook his head. "Angel, don't blame yourself."  
  
"It's my fault," she insisted. "I went to dinner with Rob. I should have canceled. I should have stayed with her. I could have kept that Asari bitch away." Angel gripped Cat's hand even tighter. "But I'll make it up for her. I'll be there for you, Cat. Please, just wake up and I'll always be here…"  
  
Leo walked away and left them alone.  
  
  
  
  
Up in his bridge office, Robert finished typing the end of his report to Admiral Maran and, through Maran, to President Morgan. He had gone over the stalled summit and the attack on Caterina, as well as the findings about the Ardat-Yakshi and the Asari reaction. He looked at the time and cursed. It was already past 2200 ship time. He'd wanted to get this thing sent off an hour ago.  
  
He made one final check of the wording and hit the transmit button. Just as the screen showed the transmission's encryption being started, the door chime went off. "Come in," he called out.  
  
Julia walked in. Unusually for her, she was not carrying reports for him to sign off on. "Is everything okay?"  
  
"I don't think I'd use that word," he answered. "Cat's still asleep, Leo's not sure if she'll recover, and our job here is frankly utterly impossible."  
  
"Says the guy who found an ancient alien base under his family home," Julia remarked in a teasing tone.  
  
"That wasn't the same kind of impossible," he countered. "This is simply impossible from a realism perspective. The Klingons won't budge, the Federation can't without looking weak and indecisive, and we're caught between our principles and our necessities. We need Klingon ships at the front. But the more I look at this situation, the more the Klingons look like the bad guys."  
  
"The Cardassians aren't exactly nice people either," Julia reminded him.  
  
For a moment he remembered the terror and pain that he, through Meridina, had briefly felt the prior year when she had let him experience the sensations she was picking up from two Maquis the Cardassians had taken prisoner. "No. But that doesn't mean they haven't been attacked simply because the Klingons want to expand."  
  
"I won't argue that." Julia sat across from him. "Unfortunately there's not much we can do about it. We're here to support Senator Kiang's negotiation."  
  
"All she seems to do is repeat the same thing and hope it'll wear the others down," Robert remarked bitterly. He shook his head. "And the damned thing is, having to be there means I can't be here, helping Angel."  
  
"I don't think there's much you can do to help her." Julia shook her head. A sad, resigned smile came to her face. "Not unless you volunteer to stand in for that Asari so she can punch somebody."  
  
"I'm her lover. I should be there for her."  
  
"You both know that can't be true. Not with our responsibilities." Julia shook her head. "I think that's why they call it 'fraternization', and why they forbid it. As much as I like seeing you two be happy together, I'm worried that in the end it'll just cause you more pain if the job gets in the way."  
  
"The job. And, heh, this." Robert, by way of example, lifted his hand. His digital pad lifted into the air. He held it in place for a moment before letting it fall, upon which it clattered upon the desk.  
  
"That." Julia nodded. "That's got to be the one thing I never imagined possible. Superpowers. And us having them."  
  
"It's not as fun as it sounds." Robert stood. "Anyway, I've got to get down to the medbay and see how Angel…"  
  
Before he could finish there was a tone over the comm system. " _Bridge to Captain Dale._ " The voice was Lieutenant John Pacetti, the bridge watch officer for Gamma Shift. " _IU Jump Point is opening._ "  
  
Robert responded by going to the door as quickly as he reasonably could. Julia was right behind him. They stepped out onto the bridge and looked to the viewscreen. The image was that of a small Asari craft, already clear of the now-closing green vortex. "That's their idea of a prisoner transport?", Julia asked.  
  
"It's not our part to judge," Robert replied. He nodded to Pacetti and moved toward the lift. "I'm going down to the medbay for now. If anything happens, let me know."  
  
  
  
  
Sisko and Kira were at the airlock where the Asari ship was docking. The wheel rolled open and a single figure stepped out. The Asari woman had a lighter complexion than other Asari they'd met, with eyes so light blue that they verged on gray. Her suit was a red bodysuit zipped up to the cleavage, with similarly-red attachments on her forehead. Her appearance caused Sisko and Kira to exchange brief looks; she was a dead ringer for the prisoner.  
  
The Asari looked at them and nodded politely. "I am Samara," she said in a gentle, reserved voice.  
  
"Captain Benjamin Sisko of the United Federation of Planets," Sisko replied. "And commander of _Deep Space Nine_."  
  
"Major Kira Nerys, Bajoran Militia, and representative of the Bajoran Provisional Government," Kira added. "On behalf of my government I welcome you to _Deep Space Nine_. The Justice Ministry has issued the formal order to turn custody of the killer over to you."  
  
"I am grateful for your hospitality. Perhaps I shall return at a later time, after the business today has concluded. I would very much like to see your station more fully." Samara looked away. "Sadly, we have business to attend to."  
  
"This way, please," Sisko asked.  
  
  
  
  
Odo and Meridina were waiting when Samara and her escorts arrived at Station Security. "Constable, she's here to take custody of our prisoner."  
  
Odo looked over Samara carefully. "I doubt that's a uniform," he said. "Just what are you? What agency do you belong to?"  
  
"None," Samara answered. "I am a Justicar. I follow the Code, and answer to none but my own and my conscious."  
  
Meridina was starting to get a feel for sensing Odo's feelings. His nature made them more alien, different, than any other form of life she'd seen before. But she thought she could feel distrust and disapproval at Samara's answer. "I don't condone vigilantism," Odo stated.  
  
"I am not a mere vigilante. I uphold the Code, the embodiment of all Asari beliefs." Samara looked to Meridina. "You are a _swevyra'se_ of Gersal, are you not?" To Meridina's interest and even surprise, Samara had spoken the Gersallian term perfectly.  
  
"Meridina of Gersal, sworn to the Code of Swenya," Meridina replied, bowing her head in recognition and respect.  
  
"My sister Justicars and I have heard of your Order. Your Code is not unlike our own."  
  
Meridina could feel some impatience coming from the others. "In other circumstances I would welcome a discussion of the Codes to which we are sworn. But other business sadly presses upon us."  
  
Samara nodded.  
  
Odo took the lead in heading to the prison area. The two Dorei guards from earlier in the day were back on duty and waiting with weapons. Morinth was seated in the cell, smirking.  
  
As soon as she saw Samara, the smirk faded. Meridina could sense real fear coming from Morinth, for the first time. And also… sadness. Defiance.  
  
Samara looked on the prisoner with resignation and sadness of her own. "Morinth."  
  
Meridina was therefore not surprised when Morinth's next word was "Mother".  
  
The others all showed interest in that.  
  
Morinth frowned. "So they sent you. Was it cruelty? Or did you ask to be the one?" She laughed bitterly. "Oh, you asked didn't you? After all of these centuries you still can't let go."  
  
"You are my child. I bear responsibility for what you have become."  
  
"What will you tell my sisters, then? Will you tell them about this? About what you've done to me?" Morinth saw the puzzled reactions on the others' faces and laughed. "Oh! Oh, you didn't tell them."  
  
"Tell us what?", Odo asked.  
  
"You thought you were giving me away to be tried?" Morinth's laughter continued. "Oh no, shapeshifter. My mother's not here to be my escort or my jailer. She's here to be my executioner. She's here to _kill me_." Morinth threw her arms wide in defiance. "Well Mother, are you ready? Are you ready to kill your own daughter?!"  
  
"Nobody will be killing anybody on _my_ station!", Odo announced. He glared at Samara. "I don't _care_ what any 'Code' says."  
  
"I will not harm her aboard this station," Samara pledged.  
  
"So what, you'll kill her on your ship?", Kira asked. "You're still in Bajoran territory. Bajoran law applies, and we don't allow summary executions!"  
  
"My vessel has been designated a diplomatic ship by the Asari government," Samara explained. "It is officially Asari territory."  
  
"Captain, I'm protesting this transfer," Odo said. "I was under the impression that Morinth was to be tried in a criminal court."  
  
"So was the Bajoran government," Kira added. "If we had known…"  
  
Samara accepted this continuing tirade without complaint. When she finally spoke to interrupt Kira, it was without anger or passion. "An Ardat-Yakshi is given two choices under Asari law."  
  
"We either get imprisoned in a monastery, or we get executed," Morinth said. "I decided I would rather be free."  
  
Samara responded with some force in her voice. "Free to kill untold innocents across our galaxy. And now another."  
  
"I didn't _ask_ to be born this way, Mother!"  
  
Meridina sensed the emotions coming off both. She was intrigued by how the earlier predatory nature of Morinth was no longer evident. Had she constructed that nature to deal with her condition? A sort of insulation for her conscious, secretly yearning to be free of it? Or was she still that predator underneath this anger and pain that Meridina was feeling from her? Perhaps it was both.  
  
Meridina felt her own distaste for the idea of simply killing, but it was a duty she herself had to face the prospect of. She had warned Lucy and Robert both that if they fell to darkness she would end their lives. It was part of the Code of Swenya. A harsh necessity to deal with those who corrupted themselves with their dark feelings and thoughts. Could she judge Samara for preparing to do what she might one day have to do with another person like her?  
  
"I believe some of us are fatigued," Meridina stated. "If you lower the forcefield, my guards and I will escort the prisoner and the Justicar to her ship."  
  
Sisko nodded. "I understand."  
  
"Captain!" Odo's voice was full of protest. "You can't just turn her over now. The extradition…"  
  
"...the extradition agreement did not specify that Morinth was to be given a trial, merely that she would be punished for the crimes she committed under Asari law," Sisko answered. "While I don't like how that's going to happen, there's nothing in the agreement that would permit me to refuse to turn her over. Constable Odo…"  
  
He never got the chance to finish that statement.  
  
The lights in the room cut out completely.  
  
"Sisko to Ops, we've lost power, what…"  
  
Blue light illuminated the holding cells room. Morinth screamed, fury and ecstasy rumbling through her, and a bolt of biotic power made its way into the room. Meridina got her hand up and focused just in time, absorbing the wave with her life power. A second burst of blue light came from Samara, who absorbed the attack on her as well. Everyone else was knocked back onto the ground or against the wall by the force of the biotic wave. Odo dissolved into his natural liquid state out of shock from the blow.  
  
Morinth was already in motion. She charged away from her mother and toward where Sisko and Kira were sprawled by the wall and the corner of the holding cell opposite of hers. She was out the door a moment later.  
  
"Morinth!" Samara ran after her.  
  
Meridina started to move to join her. She stopped as she sensed the life ebbing in Kira's body. She went to her side as Odo reformed beside her. His legs were still taking shape as his hand moved under her to hold her up. "She's unconscious."  
  
For a moment Meridina focused. She could sense the injury at the back of Kira's head. "She has a severe head injury. She needs medical attention." She looked to where her guards were strewn on the floor - they had taken the brunt of the wave and were barely conscious at the moment.  
  
"Odo to infirmary, medical emergency in…" Odo stopped. His comm badge hadn't let off the usual electronic chirp. He tapped it again. There was nothing. "Something's wrong. Communications are down."  
  
Meridina reached to her wrist-held multidevice. "Meridina to _Aurora_ , this is a security alert. I have a medical emergency and require an immediate transport to the medbay, I am relaying coordinates now." She tapped a key on the hardlight keyboard that popped up over her device. "And can anyone give me the status of the station?"  
  
After several moments white light filled the dark room and Kira disappeared. " _This is Lieutenant Pacetti. We are reading multiple systems failures on the station. It looks like something took out main power and other systems. What's happening over there?_ "  
  
"The Asari prisoner, Morinth, has escaped," Meridina answered. "Alert Captain Dale and Commander Andreys immediately. I must pursue." The light from her multidevice allowed her to see Odo's face. He seemed… distracted. "Constable, do I have your leave to issue commands to your security forces?"  
  
He didn't answer immediately. "Constable?", Meridina repeated.  
  
"Constable!", Sisko barked.  
  
Their voices seemed to jolt Odo back to attention. "Yes. Yes, my people will follow your commands."  
  
"As mine will do with yours," Meridina pledged. "I am going to pursue the Asari."  
  
"I'll join you as soon as I can," Odo said. "I need to get my people organized."  
  
Sisko got back to his feet as they stood. "I'll be in Ops trying to find out what happened. Report to me the moment you find out anything."  
  
"Of course, Captain," Odo promised.  
  
Meridina nodded. "Yes."  
  
Sisko replied to Meridina with a brief nod, barely visible in the darkness of the room. "Good hunting, Commander."  
  
  
  
  
Morinth ran onto the crossover bridge heading to the habitat ring. She could hear her mother's footsteps pounding behind her. _So close. She's so close._  
  
Terror pushed her forward, and a strange exhilaration filled Morinth. She was the prey. In this game with her mother, she was _always_ the prey. It was an interesting turn whenever it happened. Sometimes she even enjoyed it.  
  
But maybe it was time to turn things the other way. If she could get to the cargo bay in time…


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An alien serial killer stalks the corridors of Deep Space Nine during a vital diplomatic summit.

In the _Aurora_ medbay Caterina was still asleep on the biobed. A pair of chairs nearby allowed Robert and Angela to sit quietly beside her, Angel laying against him and in his arms. Angel was half-asleep and Robert was nearly so.  
  
His multidevice went off. The tone brought them both to full wakefulness. Robert reached around Angel to press the comm key. "Dale here."  
  
" _Pacetti here, sir. Commander Meridina called, there's something wrong on the station. Their systems have gone down and the prisoner is loose._ "  
  
"What the…" Robert and Angel sat up. They heard a transporter effect further down the medbay and increased activity as Leo's Gamma Shift personnel went into action. "Do they have comms?"  
  
" _They're not answering hails, so I don't think so._ "  
  
_Dammit. Dammit!_ They'd have to find out what was going on, but just as importantly, Robert had to secure Senator Kiang. "Get Commander Kane, I want a full Marine detail on the Senator immediately. Have Commander Scott notified of the situation to arrange engineering and operations teams to transport immediately to the station to help with repairs."  
  
" _Yes sir._ "  
  
Robert stood up. "She got loose?", Angel asked.  
  
"That's what Meridina's said."  
  
Angel's lips pursed. Robert put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure Meridina's going after her. She won't get away." He stood up. "I need to get over there and see what help Sisko and his crew will need. I'll be back as soon as I can, okay?"  
  
The response was a nod from Angel. She watched him go and turned toward her sister.  
  
She took Caterina's hand and clasped tightly. It took time for it to build, but it did; a fury that she had rarely felt before. After all this, the killer who had hurt Cat, nearly taken her sister's life, was _free_. Free to possibly come back and hurt Cat again.  
  
_No. No, she won't._ Angel pursed her lips. _I'll kill her first._  
  
A part of her was ready to go over herself. To help hunt down the Asari and to put her down permanently. Her fury demanded it. But even it could not overcome her need to be here for the most important person in the world to her.  
  
Whatever happened… she needed to be here for her sister. That was more important.  
  
  
  
  
Samara remained close to Morinth as the chase continued on down the crossover bridges. The corridors had been dark before. Now, with only emergency lighting, they were more shadow than substance.  
  
It had been decades since Samara was this close to Morinth. Her daughter's skills had only increased in this time, matched by the viciousness of her killing. Every one of those deaths weighed on Samara. They reminded her of the failures to catch her daughter before, of blood that had been shed because she hadn't done well enough.  
  
It had to stop. It had to end.  
  
They had made it to the docking ring of the Cardassian-built station. They weren't far from Samara's own ship, in fact. But Morinth clearly had another destination in mind. She was moving toward a group of cargo bays adjacent to one of the docks.  
  
Morinth ran around a corner. Samara followed with a biotic shield up, allowing her to absorb the biotic charge that Morinth threw behind her as Samara came around the corner. She ducked into a door in the moment Samara took to recover her balance from the deflection of Morinth's attack. Through the door were stacks and stacks of shipping containers, cargo crates that were not unlike the ones from Samara's home galaxy.  
  
"You could have chosen to join your sisters," Samara said.  
  
"You could have chosen to leave me alone," Morinth retorted from the darkness. "You could have let me live my life."  
  
"A live committed to hunting and murder," Samara charged. "How many victims have you claimed over the centuries, daughter?"  
  
"I can't stop what I am!"  
  
"Instead, you embraced it."  
  
"And so now you're going to kill me. Your own daughter." Morinth laughed bitterly. Samara turned a corner around some crates. She could make out Morinth's silhouette in the deep shadows of the dark cargo bay. The gathering biotic energy started to cast a low blue light over them. "I'm not going to just let you kill me, Mother."  
  
Samara nodded. "I know. You have always been the most daring."  
  
"You're going to make me kill you." Morinth scowled. "Is that what you think I want?!"  
  
"You have killed enough, my daughter. I…"  
  
There was a sudden burst of energy. Every nerve, every cell, of Samara's body seized up. She gasped and fell over.  
  
A low chuckle came from Morinth. Her footsteps echoed against Samara's head through the metal of the cargo bay floor. "This galaxy, this universe, has some very amazing technologies. Their energy weapons can be set to stun. They can even set explosives to stun." Morinth's arm whipped out and her biotics struck Samara with a warp field, breaking up her concentration before she could stand. "The hunter is now the hunted. I know what it feels like, Mother. You've made sure of that." Morinth scowled down at her. She placed her foot squarely on Samara's throat and began to apply weight.  
  
Samara's head was still spinning. The sudden pressure cutting off her air was making that worse.  
  
"The hunt is over, Mother." Morinth frowned down at her. "It's your turn to be the prey. And this is what always comes to my prey…"  
  
  
  
  
Robert beamed into Ops and was met by now-Lieutenant Commander Dax and another familiar face. "Commander Worf." He nodded to the Klingon.  
  
"Captain." Worf nodded back. "We are experiencing major system wide faults. Chief O'Brien is currently heading to Reactor Control to determine the cause."  
  
"Lieutenant Barnes beamed straight there with an engineering team to help with whatever went wrong." Robert looked around at Ops. Emergency lights were keeping it lit up for the moment. "I'm sending Marines to secure the summit delegates. Your people can concentrate on getting the station running. Do you know where Captain Sis…-"  
  
The door to Sisko's office opened slowly. Sisko finished forcing it open and slipped through. "Report, Mister Worf."  
  
Worf busied himself in repeating what he had told Robert. "Sir, I think we must consider the likelihood that this was intentional sabotage to disrupt the summit."  
  
"Possibly. But the timing is damn suspicious. We were just turning over Morinth to the Asari agent when the power failed in security."  
  
"Could Morinth have arranged this?", Robert asked. "Some sort of computer virus or the like?"  
  
Sisko looked to Dax, who shrugged. "I'm not sure. It's possible. The Asari have a lot of advanced technology and some sophisticated computer systems. But that doesn't mean she's an expert skilled enough to get around the computer security we've installed."  
  
"How long until communications is restored?", Sisko asked.  
  
"Give me an hour or two, I think I can get the system working again." Dax resumed working at her station again.  
  
"Captain." Sisko looked to Robert. "The summit."  
  
"Already taking care of that, Captain Sisko," Robert answered. "Commander Kane and his Marines are deploying."  
  
"Good." Sisko went to his place at the central table. Robert stood to his right. "In the meantime, I'd like to borrow your ship's communications system. Dax and Commander Jarod should be able to tie our comm badges in with your systems."  
  
"I'll make the call." Robert brought up his multi-device. As he did so, he felt a sense of unease. _Just what is going on here?_ , he thought.  
  
  
  
  
Morinth applied more pressure with her foot against Samara's neck. Samara's head was still spinning and her body felt paralyzed from the stun weapon that Morinth had employed against her. She tried to force her body to move just to find it could not. Her muscles wouldn't respond. Her body ached as pain continued to press down on her throat. Morinth would soon be applying enough power to break the vertebrae in Samara's neck.  
  
The pressure stopped. Morinth was moving. Something had come to her attention.  
  
That was when Meridina struck.  
  
Her own power, born from her life force, smashed into Morinth as she changed her balance, anticipating an incoming attack. Regardless of her preparations she went flying back into the nearby crates and cried out from the impact.  
  
Morinth called upon every reserve of strength she had to force herself back to her feet. She threw out a biotic bolt at Meridina that the Gersallian was forced to absorb with her power, delaying her and giving Morinth time to run for the far cargo bay exit.  
  
Meridina did not pursue immediately. She stopped at Samara's side and sensed for injuries.  
  
Samara looked intently at her. "Do not stop for me," she insisted. "You must prevent Morinth from escaping."  
  
Seeing that Samara was not in any medical danger, Meridina nodded and left in pursuit of Morinth. She focused with her power, her _swevyra_ , and felt it channel into her body, letting her move swiftly into the corridors of the ship. Morinth was heading to one of the crossover bridges. She was backtracking.  
  
Meridina found that interesting. What was she up to?  
  
  
  
  
Commander Kane walked down the darkened corridor finding it not so darkened with the aid of his helmet's display systems. Everything had a greenish hue to it from the light amplification that the display was using. He checked his location against the station schematics and found the door he was looking for. Beside him, Corporal Mendelssohn came to a stop, holding his weapon at a ready-rest position. Kane hit the door chime and started knocking an armored fist on the metal Cardassian door. "Senator Kiang?", he called out, aided by a boosted external speaker. "Senator Kiang, I need to check on you."  
  
Several moments passed. He hit the door again. "Madame Senator, I…"  
  
The door slid open on the other end, courtesy of the emergency release. Senator Kiang stood before him in a pleasant nightrobe. "What is happening?", she asked.  
  
"There's been a station-wide power loss, ma'am. Captain Dale ordered me to arrange guards for all the summit delegates. I'm attending to you personally," he replied.  
  
"Ah." Kiang nodded. "Well, Commander, please step in. I'm awake now, so I might as well brew some coffee and get to work."  
  
"With the station's power down, ma'am, how do you plan on doing that?", Kane asked.  
  
Kiang smiled at him with amusement. "I keep a portable battery for my coffeemaker, Commander. It's always best to be prepared for such things."  
  
"'Always prepared' is our motto, ma'am." Kane nodded in approval. "We'll stay out of your way."  
  
Kiang moved aside and let him and Mendelssohn in.  
  
  
  
  
In Reactor Control, O'Brien finished looking through a part of the systems and sighed with irritation. "How does that happen?", he asked nobody in particular. "How do all five plasma flow constrictors fail at once?"  
  
Nearby Barnes looked up from one such system. "From the look of things, they didn't fail so much as go into a locked state. Then the plasma backs up and.." He snapped his fingers. "...the safeties kick in and the reactors shut down."  
  
"But there was no excess plasma flow to cause them to lock down," O'Brien insisted. "The reactors were running at the standard operating rate of twelve detonations per second."  
  
"And what's your highest active rate? Eighty or so?"  
  
"Eighty-three is the safe rating." The older engineer stood from the open panel he was working at and went over to where Barnes was examining the flow constrictors. "And I'm not showing any surge in plasma that would trigger a shutdown."  
  
"And then we have the mystery of why the auxiliary reactors didn't kick in automatically." Barnes shook his head. He looked at O'Brien. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Chief?"  
  
O'Brien frowned. "Sabotage."  
  
"Computer-based, probably. Trick the plasma flow sensors, make the system think too much plasma's coming in and shut down the reactors. Then block the command to bring the auxiliary reactors to full." Barnes tapped a few keys and brought up the station's power grid at the moment of failure. "Or rather, why auxiliary power didn't work to power these critical systems."  
  
"Communications and the security office." O'Brien tapped his comm badge. "O'Brien to Ops."  
  
There was only a quarter-second of extra delay time as the comm badge, cut off from its usual lines of communication, routed through the _Aurora_ 's short-range transceivers. " _Sisko here. Go ahead Chief._ "  
  
"Sir, it looks like there was a fault in the plasma flow lines. All of the constrictors locked up and the reactors shut down to prevent a plasma overload. Lieutenant Barnes and I have teams preparing the reactors for restart now."  
  
" _Have you determined how this happened? And why auxiliary power didn't come online?_ "  
  
O'Brien swallowed. "Well, sir, I hate to say it… but I think we're looking at sabotage. Most likely in the computer controls for the power system."  
  
There was quiet on the other end for several minutes. " _Thank you, Chief. Do what you can to get Main Power back online immediately. Sisko out._ "  
  
Once the call was cut O'Brien took in a breath. "I would not want to be in Ops right now."  
  
"Yeah." Barnes shook his head. "If this happened on the _Aurora_ I wouldn't want to be on the Bridge… or in Main Engineering. Scotty would have someone's head for a computer security failure like that."  
  
"Yeah." After a moment, O'Brien's expression turned curious. "So, what's it like? Serving with Commander Scott?"  
  
"Hrm? Oh, it's cool," Barnes answered. "Really cool. Frankly I've learned more about being an engineer from him than any course or brainwave infusion has ever taught me."  
  
"Yeah." O'Brien had a wistful look on his face. "The man's the best engineer that Starfleet's ever had. What I wouldn't give to have a chance to serve with him."  
  
"Well, lad, that's nice an' kind of ye t' say," a new voice stated. "But I have t' warn ye, I'd not put up wi' yer layin' about when there's work t' be done."  
  
O'Brien's expression froze. A little of the color went out of Barnes' face. They turned and faced the subject of their conversation standing in the doorway of Reactor Control. Montgomery Scott was in his favored engineering outfit, black vest over white long-sleeved jersey and Alliance regulation uniform trousers, and had his arms crossed. A hint of bemusement was on his face.  
  
"Oh, uh, Scot… Commander. _Sir_." Barnes chuckled nervously. "We're just…"  
  
"...talkin' instead o' workin', Tom, and dinnae think ye can get out o' that." He motioned to the controls. "Now, lads, Commander Andreys had t' go tae th' trouble o' wakin' me up, an' I promised th' lass we'd have this station runnin' again within th' hour. So how about ye get started on those plasma flow constrictors, I'll get th' reactors ready for a restart."  
  
O'Brien and Barnes exchanged looks. "Uh, yes." The older engineer nodded. "Thank you, Commander. We'll get right on that."  
  
  
  
  
Morinth laid a trap for Meridina at the Habitat Ring side of Crossover Bridge 1.  
  
Meridina saw it coming as well. A stun bomb of some sort, likely the same thing she'd used on Samara. She focused and jumped over the tripping position, twirling horizontally in mid-air to fit through the pathway without setting the weapon off. With a sweep of her hand a wave of energy smashed the weapon and deactivated it.  
  
She looked up and saw Morinth through the darkness, glowing with biotic power. Morinth cried in anger. Meridina could feel the forces of the universe warp and twist from Morinth's power and the dark matter it was generating. She sensed the the powerful biotic pulse Morinth was hurling toward her before the Asari even threw it. Meridina focused and reached out with her power as the blast came for her. The dark matter snapped like a beast as it flowed around her, as if angry at being denied its power. "Stop!", Meridina called out. "You have done enough damage. You have caused enough harm!"  
  
The dark-clad Asari answered her with a bemused smirk. "You are truly a precious one, aren't you Gersallian? If I had known you were like that, I might have hunted you instead."  
  
Meridina advanced with her _lakesh_ drawn. Its faint blue light, from the EM field circulating around it, was a small break in the shadows of the darkened station.  
  
Morinth met her attack with a whip of pure biotic power that slammed against the _lakesh_. She brought her other arm around and a biotic pulse erupted from it, skimming a centimeter above Meridina's head as she dodged it with efficient grace. She swiped with her _lakesh_ and found her target. The blade slashed through the dark leather of Morinth's suit and left a string of purple blood against the blue flesh beneath. Morinth hissed in irritation and grabbed out with her biotics again. Meridina saw the blow coming easily and parried it.  
  
But there was a grin on Morinth's face when she did so. Meridina barely had a moment to register her irritation at her misjudgement before Morinth's biotic power shifted, the whip of dark matter solidifying and pulling the _lakesh_ right out of her hand. Morinth's foot came up in a kick that she could only partially block, keeping it from doubling over but costing her some balance.  
  
Which was what Morinth wanted. Her biotics flared yet again, this time in a wave of power that moved out from her in a wide arc. Meridina could not avoid it and was thrown back. She rolled with it and tumbled backward until she was firmly on her feet. She reached her hand out and her _lakesh_ flew from its place on the floor to her hand.  
  
But by that point, Morinth was running again. Meridina took a step toward her… and then forced herself to jump back just as another stun bomb went off. It didn't catch her just as the last one did not, but it cost her precious seconds in which Morinth ran ahead successfully.  
  
But Meridina was not done. Morinth was as bad as any _swevyra'se_ who had fallen to darkness. She had to be stopped. Killed, even, if it proved necessary.  
  
The chase continued.  
  
  
  
  
In the _Aurora_ medbay, Angel remained seated beside Caterina. She hated feeling like this. She felt like she was tearing herself apart, between the protective instinct and fury that demanded she join the hunt for Morinth to make sure the Asari serial killer didn't threaten her sister any more and the sororal impulse to remain with Cat so that her sister would see her when she woke up.  
  
There was movement at the door. She looked up and saw Leo was standing there. "Shouldn't you be in bed?", she asked.  
  
He smirked and nodded. "Julia's rousing us all. Just in case the problems on the station get out of hand. I'm preparing to go over and join Doctor Bashir if he calls for assistance."  
  
"Who'll be here for Cat if she needs help?"  
  
"Lumenaram is on duty. He's checking up on Major Kira now. She took a nasty blow to the head from whatever happened over there."  
  
"Morinth," Angel growled. "The Asari who nearly killed Cat. She escaped."  
  
Leo nodded and made an "Ah" sound. "So _that_ is why you look like you're ready to punch someone."  
  
"I want to punch her," Angel said. "No, I want to _kill_ her, Leo. I want to keep her from ever hurting Cat again." Angel reached over and put a hand on Cat's forehead. "But as much as I want to help hunt her down, I don't want Cat to wake up alone. I… I want her to have someone here. To have me here."  
  
"Still blaming yourself for her getting hurt?", Leo asked pointedly.  
  
Angel shook her head. "No, it's not that. I just… want to be here." She looked over her sleeping sister. "For her." She frowned. "And right now that's more important to me than beating that Asari bitch's face in."  
  
Leo nodded. "I can understand that. Frankly, it's good that you feel that way. I think Cat would prefer her big sister be here for her, not running off to maybe get killed just to get revenge."  
  
Angel smiled thinly at that. "Just to ask… how is she doing?"  
  
At that Leo went over to the display above the bed. The hues of blue and white and yellow and red meant nothing to Angel, but he seemed to be deciphering them as easily as if he were reading a book. "Unconscious nervous system activity is heading back to baseline normal. Looks like the neurotransmitters are functioning properly again." Leo nodded and let his smile grow. "Things are looking good. I…"  
  
"Uhhhhm…"  
  
On the bed, Caterina shifted position slightly. Angel jumped to her feet and held onto Cat's hand. "Is she…"  
  
He double-checked the scan. "Neural activity is starting to pick up. Looks like she's coming to."  
  
For a few moments there was no more movement. And then, slowly, Cat's eyes started to open. She looked dazed. She squinted at them as her eyes adjusted to the light in the medbay.  
  
And then they widened. Cat reached for Angel and put her arms around her. "Angel!", she cried out. She started to sniffle. "Oh God, Angel, it was… she… it was hurting me…"  
  
"I know." Angel put her arms around her sister and held her close. "I know she was. But I stopped her."  
  
"What was she? I… I've never seen something like that," Cat cried. She was starting to sob. "It was like I didn't have any will anymore. She said to follow her and I did and I just couldn't control myself and then she started to… and it… it hurt so much… I…"  
  
"She won't hurt you ever again, Cat, I promise."  
  
Leo was running a medical scanner over her. "Cat, I'd like…"  
  
"Is she gone?!", Cat asked. "Please tell me she's gone. I'm… I'm sc-scared."  
  
"She's on the station. She can't get to you, not here. Not on our ship." Angel motioned to Leo to wait, which he did with some patience, while she gently stroked the back of Cat's head. "It's okay now, Cat. I promise. You are _safe_ and she'll never get near you again."  
  
Cat continued to sob. "I'm so so-sorry. I t-tried to st-stop.. t-to st-step away… t-to g-get away… I tri-tried to s-say n-n-no but… but I cou-couldn't! S-She did so-something t-to me."  
  
"Cat." Leo stepped around the bed to stand beside Angel. "I need to examine you now. You took a lot of damage to your body and I need to make sure you're healing."  
  
For several more moments Cat just kept crying and holding on to Angel. When she pulled back Angel looked into her face, twisted into terror and pain with tears streaming from her eyes and her sobbing not stopping. She put her left hand on Caterina's right cheek and wiped the tears away. "D-did you g-get h-her?", Cat asked.  
  
Angel swallowed. "Yeah. There was something… she's escaped and they're chasing…"  
  
Even as she tried to continue speaking she could see that her sister's terror was increasing. Cat buried her face into Angel's shoulder. "Sh-she'll come af-after me!", Cat protested. "Sh-she'll c-come for me!"  
  
"No, Cat. No she won't," Angel promised. "I swear to you she won't." With Cat continuing to sob Angel was coming to realize just how hurt her sister was. She looked at Leo with an expression of her own sadness and despair. Caterina… how would this change her? How would her little sister be changed by this? She was always so bright and cheery and so _curious_ , and how would she be now that she had suffered this… this _violation_?  
  
Leo saw the look on her face and swallowed. "Give her time," he urged. "She'll feel better."  
  
_Will Cat ever sleep again? Will she be terrified of Morinth coming after her all the time?_ Angel could imagine this ruining her sister's life. The possibility of Morinth coming after her at any port of call, on any leave. Angel gently stroked Cat's head for a moment, running a finger along her ear as Cat's tears flowed onto her shoulder. Tears of fear and rage started to gather in her own eyes.  
  
The fury she had been holding back surged again. Cat was okay. She was awake. Angel was free to go. To go and do what she needed to do.  
  
It was time to go deal with that Asari. For good. So that Caterina could be Caterina. So she could sleep at night.  
  
Angel stepped off the bed and held Cat's face in her hands. "You'll never see that Asari again, Cat. I'm going to go make sure of it, okay? I _promise_." She kissed her sister on the forehead.  
  
Leo put a hand on her arm. "Angel, maybe you…"  
  
"It needs to be done," she insisted. She looked at him and, seeing he was about to resist, turned that look into a glare. "You're not talking me out of this, Leo. I have to do it. For Cat."  
  
Leo knew nothing he said would stop her. He sighed and nodded. "Be careful," he urged. "Cat can't afford to lose you."  
  
"Don't worry," Angel said, walking around him. She moved toward the door. "She won't."  
  
  
  
  
The running battle between Meridina and Morinth finally made its way to Cargo Bay 4. Morinth entered first and looked about the bay. She went over to one crate and opened it, finding a device inside right where it was supposed to be. She hit a key on it.  
  
At that moment, the lights came on. A snarl covered her face. The power to the station had been restored before she was ready for it to be.  
  
Even worse, Meridina was appearing at the door. "You cannot flee any further," she warned Morinth.  
  
Morinth replied by unleashing another biotic blast. Meridina's hand seemed to catch it. The power crackled around her and held her in place, but it did not throw her back. The power that the Gersallian woman wielded made her just as dangerous to Morinth as her own mother.  
  
There was one last thing Morinth could try. "Stop!", she shouted, and as she did she summoned every erg of mental power she could find within her.  
  
Meridina remained in place. Her face shifted into a rictus of effort. _I am not so helpless against attempts to mentally dominate me, Morinth_ , she thought, and thought openly.  
  
Morinth could hear that thought. Her snarl increased. "Then you die," she said simply, and threw another biotic bolt. As she threw it her hand reached back into the crate. Her biotic attack was caught by Meridina just as before.  
  
That was why it was so important that when Morinth's hand came back out of the crate, it was holding a submachine gun. It was a mass effect weapon as well, an M-9 Tempest model, and when Morinth pulled the trigger it erupted in fire. Deadly strips of mass effect-propelled material ripped through the air at such a volume that Meridina couldn't stop every shot with her _lakesh_. She was forced to take cover. Morinth was gratified by a thin stream of red that appeared beside the door. One of her rounds had landed a hit on the Gersallian.  
  
The battle was in her favor again, or rather, her escape. She began to back her way through the cargo bay toward one end.  
  
Because she kept her eyes on Meridina's position, Morinth didn't see the reflective material on the nearby console change color. Nor did she see as it slid off the panel, revealing the real console beneath it.  
  
And she definitely didn't see Odo until he had already extended tendrils of his being to grab her by the arms and legs and pull her back.  
  
Morinth let out a cry of surprise when that happened. Odo ripped the Tempest from her grasp. He coalesced into his humanoid form and stood over her. "You're under arrest," he said.  
  
Her reply was to hit him in the face with a biotic bolt. Odo lost his form for a moment, turning amber again.  
  
Morinth began to stand. As she did, Meridina came out from behind cover and threw her arm forward. A wave of powerful energy, summoned by her life force, slammed into Morinth and sent her flying against the panel. She slumped down beside it. Her face betrayed her fear and rage. "Surrender," Meridina urged. "Surrender and…"  
  
"...and what, be killed by my mother?" Morinth got back to her feet again. "I will not! I am an Ardat-Yakshi! I am what the Asari people are meant to be!"  
  
"No."  
  
Morinth hissed at her mother as she entered. Samara stepped up beside Meridina. Biotic energy flowed around her. "It is over, Morinth," she said calmly. "Please. I cannot save your life or give you back the one you had before your condition manifested. But I can give you peace. You can stop running."  
  
"No!", Morinth shouted.  
  
"So you'd rather be a murderer, Morinth?", Meridina asked. "Why?"  
  
"I am a hunter! That is why I am and what I will always be, and I will not be caged!" Morinth glared back and forth at her three attackers. Her mother was a powerful enough opponent. The Gersallian and the Changeling made this an impossible battle if it kept going.  
  
The only play she had left was to throw everything she had at them. One burst of her biotic power. Dark matter began to swirl around her. Her biotic aura flared.  
  
Meridina sensed it coming and braced herself. Samara summoned her own biotics in her defense. Odo was already shifting his arm into an extension to grab Morinth and stop her.  
  
With a roar of angry defiance Morinth let loose a wave of dark matter stronger than anything she had ever done before. Stronger than even Samara and Meridina had expected. Both were thrown to the ground. The dark matter went through Odo's attempted attack and cut through his form like a hot knife through butter. He dissolved into a puddle of brown-amber fluid.  
  
Morinth dropped to her hands and knees. And she laughed. The laugh was full of weariness, and she felt completely exhausted. But she had still won. Given time she could possibly execute her mother and the Gersallian, but that was time she needed to escape. She started to turn toward the far exit of the cargo bay. If she could just get to the docking port she could…  
  
A bolt of blue energy ripped into Morinth's shoulder. She cried out and fell to her knees. There was fury on her face when she looked to the exit she had intended to take and saw Angel Delgado standing there, a pulse pistol in her hands. "Get down," Angel commanded. Her voice brimmed with cold, silent rage.  
  
Morinth sneered. "You're not going to shoot me," she said, and with every ounce of will she could. "And you're a fool for coming here. My mother and the others are immune to my will, but you are not. I'll control you like any other Human."  
  
"Get down and put your hands on your head."  
  
"No." Morinth took a step toward her. "Hand me your weapon and your device. Show me the way to…"  
  
The pistol fired again. A bolt of blue energy slammed into Morinth's right knee. She screamed and dropped to her left knee. The wound wasn't bleeding but blackened, with not a hint of blue flesh showing under the new hole in her suit.  
  
" _SHUT. UP_ ," Angel ordered, each word pronounced with furious intensity.  
  
"Pick me up," Morinth demanded. Again, every ounce of will she could muster went into her voice, her mind, all to dominate this Human woman.  
  
The order echoed in Angel's brain. Her body moved to obey. It had to obey. It was meant to.  
  
But the compulsion stopped when it met Angel's will, driven by her rage and powered by one directive: protect Caterina. Protect her little sister from the monster that tried to kill her.  
  
She fired the pistol again. The next shot tore through Morinth's thigh on the right leg. The Ardat-Yakshi toppled over.  
  
Odo's form was starting to coalesce. Meridina moaned aloud and began to move. Samara was already starting to sit up.  
  
Angel barely noticed. She kept the gun trained on Morinth. Her hazel eyes were locked onto Morinth's, and Morinth found it was her will that couldn't move. She was too tired, too exhausted from the long-running battle with the others.  
  
Terror began to build inside Morinth. She realized she had seen Angel's eyes before, the intent look behind them. It was something she had seen before, so many times.  
  
Every time it had been reflected in the eyes of her victims as their bodies burnt out from the inside.  
  
"Angel." Meridina was to her knees. "She is beaten."  
  
"That's not good enough," Angel said.  
  
"It has to be," Meridina insisted. "This isn't your place."  
  
"I can't let her go. I can't let her live. For Cat. She needs to be dead so Cat can rest."  
  
For a moment Meridina was seized by the thought that Caterina had died from her wounds. It was only on second reflection, aided by the thoughts pouring from Angel, that she realized Cat was alive. "Your sister will feel better in time. You do not have to become a murderer to protect her."  
  
"Cat won't be safe so long as this… this _thing_ is alive," Angel insisted. She was within a foot of Morinth now. Morinth didn't dare move. Her legs refused any commands to stand from the injuries to her knee and thigh.  
  
Odo finished taking form. "Lieutenant, put down the weapon," he ordered.  
  
"I can't let her get away!", Angel shouted. She leveled the gun at Morinth's forehead.  
  
"She will not." Samara walked toward them. "I will perform my duty as intended."  
  
"Lieutenant, if you pull that trigger, it will be murder," Odo warned.  
  
"Think of what your sister really needs, Angela," Meridina said. Her lilting voice was soft and infused with the soothing tone she knew it needed. "Caterina doesn't need Morinth dead. She needs you. She needs her… 'big sister'."  
  
Angel's fury disregarded that. _Put the Asari bitch down!_ , it demanded. _PULL THE TRIGGER_.  
  
But Meridina's words had their effect. The urge to protect her sister split from the rage. Caterina needed her. And she needed Cat.  
  
Morinth narrowed her eyes. "You can't do it, can you?", she cooed. "You can't pull the trigger. You can't kill me while I'm helpless." She chuckled. "I would not hesitate. I am a hunter. I kill my prey. But you clearly are not."  
  
Angel glowered down at her.  
  
And she lowered the pistol.  
  
Morinth made a sultry laugh. "You're just like your sister. Prey." Her eyes blazed with amusement. "And when I get lose, I will enjoy finishing what I…"  
  
There was a rush of air. Morinth's face exploded in pain, starting on the side of her nose where Angel's fist slammed into it at full speed. A loud crack filled the cargo bay.  
  
"Uuunnnrgh!' Morinth brought a hand up to her broken nose. Purple gushed from her nostrils.  
  
"I told you to shut up." Angel knelt next to her.  
  
Morinth turned her face back toward Angel. Her fist clenched and a bit of dark matter gathered. Her powers were starting to return, and she would…  
  
Angel punched her in the face again.  
  
Morinth didn't get back up.  
  
The other three watched in silence as Angel got back to her feet. She put her pistol back in her holster and nursed the bruised knuckles of her right hand with her left. She looked to the others. "There," she said. "She's all your's."  
  
Meridina smiled thinly and nodded. "Well done, Angela."


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An alien serial killer stalks the corridors of Deep Space Nine during a vital diplomatic summit.

_Ship's Log: 17 February 2642; ASV Aurora. Captain Robert Dale recording._ Deep Space Nine _is back to full working status and everything on the station is now secure. The summit will go on as planned and the Asari Justicar Samara will soon leave with her prisoner. We are still left with some unsettling questions; who sabotaged the station? And was Morinth's arrival and attempted killing spree a part of a wider plot?_  
  
A number of officers from both the station and the _Aurora_ were gathered. Circling around the central table on Ops were Robert and Julia at the end, Jarod and Dax to their right, Barnes and O'Brien to their left, and Sisko and Kira at the other end. Odo and Meridina were standing away from the table and Worf was off to another side. "We've gone over every centimeter of the reactor control systems," O'Brien said. "Whatever happened, it wasn't physical sabotage."  
  
"That leaves the computers," Sisko turned to Dax and Jarod. "Old Man?"  
  
Dax nodded. "I found traces of a virus that was uploaded into our command systems. While I can't determine everything it did before it deleted itself, I can confirm it loaded commands into our reactor safety systems and into communications. It even penetrated into security."  
  
"We may have to consider stronger computer security measures," Worf suggested.  
  
"That's where Commander Jarod comes in." Dax looked to him. "He's already written new protocols to prevent another attack like this."  
  
"That's fast, even for you Jarod," Julia remarked.  
  
"That's because they're already written," Jarod replied. "I looked over the surviving code. And I've seen it before."  
  
"You have?", Sisko asked.  
  
Jarod nodded. He looked at Robert and Julia. "The code is consistent with the various spy software and computer sabotage that the _Aurora_ was loaded with by that Changeling that impersonated Draynal."  
  
"So you're saying that the Dominion did this?", Julia asked.  
  
"That's what it appears to be." Jarod turned back to Sisko. "I provided Commander Dax the program I wrote to neutralize this type of Dominion infiltration software."  
  
Sisko frowned. "What I want to know is why the Dominion did this. Were they trying to free Morinth?"  
  
"Maybe," Worf said. "Or perhaps they had another agenda. The Dominion would support the idea of disrupting the summit."  
  
"If it wasn't for Morinth, then what were they up to during her escape attempt?" Odo looked away and glowered.  
  
"I'll leave it to you and Commander Eddington to find that out," Sisko said. "In the meantime, I'd like to thank you all for the efforts made to get this situation under control. My thanks to your crew, Captain Dale, for the assistance you provided."  
  
"We're happy to help, Captain Sisko," Robert answered.  
  
A light appeared on the table. Characters appeared on the display. "The Justicar's craft is ready to leave."  
  
"I still protest this extradition," Odo said. "The Asari are just going to kill her."  
  
"Protest noted, Constable, but it's still out of my hands." Sisko hit a key on the table. "You're clear for departure, Asari shuttle."  
  
The viewscreen shifted to show the Asari ship departing the dock and moving out in space. "Representative Irissa's ship is preparing to generate an IU jump point," the officer currently minding Dax's station stated. "They will open it in ten secon…" Something appeared on her screen. "Wait. I'm picking up something on the shuttle."  
  
Dax went up and sat at the post. "It looks like a power surge. The shuttle's systems are shutting down… I'm detecting a containment failure in the vessel's engine core."  
  
"Chief!", Sisko barked. O'Brien was already moving onto his station.  
  
"I'm trying to lock on… locking…"  
  
The Ops transporter activated. Swirls of orange light coalesced into the half-running figure of Samara.  
  
On the viewscreen, the shuttle exploded in a burst of blue energy..  
  
Samara was briefly stunned by the sudden transport. She stopped her forward movement just as she got to the edge of the transporter pad.  
  
"What just happened?", Robert asked.  
  
Dax was looking over her screens. "I'm not sure. Sensors showed a power surge in the ship's element-zero engine core. It looks like something overloaded the core."  
  
Samara looked around. "Did you get Morinth?", she asked.  
  
Nearly everyone looked at O'Brien. He moved his hand away from the panel. "I'm sorry." He shook his head. "Yours was the only signal I could lock onto."  
  
Samara looked back to the screen and drew in a breath. Robert thought he could feel real grief coming from her. Finally she nodded and lowered her head. "Be with the Goddess, my daughter."  
  
"Chief, I want an immediate investigation."  
  
"The Asari ship is hailing," Kira said.  
  
"Open the channel." Sisko turned back to the viewscreen. "Let's give them the best explanation we can."  
  
  
  
  
Angel was at the bar in Quark's nursing a tequila while Morn rambled on about some trip he'd recently taken to the Citadel. Quark was at the bar in front of them, cleaning out a glass. "Trust me, Morn, I've been looking for Asari dabo girls since the contact with their home galaxy. But they haven't exactly been lining up."  
  
Morn gave him a dejected look.  
  
"Although given recent events, it's probably for the best." Quark looked over to Angela. "That tequila didn't come cheap you know. It's from… what universe was it again? H1E5? That cost real money to ship out here."  
  
Angel replied by downing the rest of the shot in one gulp. As it burned its way into her gut she pushed her glass forward.  
  
"So." Quark began to pour more. "How's your sister? I hear she survived."  
  
"She's awake."  
  
"Well, that's good to hear. Truth be told, even with her winning streaks at the Dabo table, she gets so many people playing along with her that I usually make good on my losses."  
  
"I appreciate the concern." Angel took another small drink.   
  
Quark moved on. Angel was alone for another minute before a shadow moved over her. "Prune juice, extra large," Worf barked, and a smirking Quark went to get it for him. Worf sat beside her. "I am pleased to hear your sister is well."  
  
"Thank you," she said.  
  
There was silence while Quark got Worf's order. The Klingon quaffed a few drinks. "You are upset that you spared the killer's life?", Worf asked.  
  
"I think. Maybe." Angel picked up her glass and took another shot. "I heard she got blown up anyway."  
  
"Yes. We are investigating now."  
  
"Then it doesn't matter, I guess." Angel sighed. "I just… I don't get why Cat would go near someone like that. I mean, I heard she had these funky mental domination powers, but Cat isn't stupid. She should know when someone looks too dangerous to strike up in conversation."  
  
"Perhaps you should ask her," Worf suggested.  
  
"When she feels better." Angel finished the second glass. "So you're posted here now, huh? With everything's that happened it must be awkward."  
  
A reply did not immediately come. "It has been difficult," Worf finally admitted. "And I am still getting used to this station."  
  
"Well… if you ask me, you probably made the right decision." Angel smiled thinly at him and nodded. "When I first heard about this I thought the Federation had been wrong. The Cardassians had it coming, I thought. But seeing things as they are now, with everything the Klingons are doing… I can understand standing against that. And I am too." Angel checked the time. "I should be getting back now. Cat is still in the medbay and I want to be there for her."  
  
"Of course." Worf nodded. His expression was, Angel thought, about as empathetic as a Klingon's would ever get. "I hope her recovery goes well."  
  
"Thank you." Angel stood and left.  
  
  
  
  
In the station wardroom the delegates for the summit were quieted by the arrival of Sisko. "Thank you for seeing me," he said to Representative Irissa in her place as the Chairwoman of the talks.  
  
Irissa went straight to business. "Captain Sisko, I was hoping you would explain the sudden systems failures that caused us so much worry last evening."  
  
"We have determined it to be sabotage," Sisko answered. "Specifically, the Dominion."  
  
"The Dominion," Martok growled. "They would attack us even now. It is clear that the threat they pose must be met more forcefully. The Cardassians may yet be harboring their agents."  
  
"Any of our states could be, unintentionally," Robert pointed out. "The real point is that I think the Founders are afraid we'll make progress here. The Dominion can only prevail if the Alpha Quadrant is divided. Whatever differences we have between us, we have to settle them peacefully and continue working together."  
  
K'mbok threw a hand up in disgust. "The point is moot. Until the Cardassians cease fighting us for worlds we have conquered, we will not back down. Will any of your states recognize our new conquests?"  
  
Pran answered first. "The Federation cannot do so."  
  
"Nor will the Alliance," Kiang announced.  
  
"Then we have nothing more to say." K'mbok stood and looked to Martok. He barked something in Klingonese to Martok and stormed toward the door.  
  
"The Klingon Empire is officially withdrawing from the summit," Martok announced. "And we are removing all forces from the continuing conflict against the Nazi German Empire."  
  
Senator Kiang looked at him levelly. "Then the Alliance withdraws its permission to use our IU drives."  
  
"Take them," Martok barked. "We still have many worlds in this galaxy to conquer first."'  
  
And with that, he stood and left.  
  
Robert and Julia exchanged looks. The entire summit looked like a waste of time now. The war would go on without a major ally, and the fighting would only get worse.  
  
"We can't win them all," Julia murmured to him.  
  
He didn't answer. Robert couldn't shake the feeling that they were missing something, and that failing to find it was going to cause even more damage in the future.  
  
  
  
  
When Angel got back to the _Aurora_ , she went immediately to the medbay to check up on Cat. She was stunned to find that her sister was gone. "Then where is she?", Angel demanded from Leo.  
  
"She wanted to go to her room for a while," Leo replied. "Since she's doing better, I agreed. At this point, I only need her in for visits to check up on her improvement, I don't need her laying here. And I don't think she wants to be either."  
  
Angel left the medbay and took the lift up to Deck 4. Caterina's quarters were just a small ways down from her quarters. She hit the chime on the door upon arriving. "Cat?", she called out. "Cat, I want to make sure you're okay."  
  
The temptation to override the door lock was strong. But it proved unnecessary. The door slid open.  
  
Angel stepped in and looked over the inside of Cat's quarters. All of the lights were turned on. Caterina was sitting on the side of her bed, wearing one of her geek pride shirts - light purple highlighted with red - and matching shorts. She had huddled into a tight position with her knees touching her chin. She looked back to Angel with reddened eyes and sniffled. "Angel. I'm… s-sorry."  
  
"It's okay, Cat." Angel knew her sister's moods enough to know what she needed. Angel went over to her bad and sat beside her. She put her arms around Cat. "She's gone Cat," Angel said. "Blown up."  
  
Cat nodded. She sniffled again. "Thank you."  
  
"Don't thank me. I didn't blow her up." Angel held her weeping sister close. She thought back to that moment and how close she'd come to pulling the trigger. _Would Odo have arrested me? Would I have been taken from Cat? Maybe._  
  
But she hadn't. In the end, Cat was more important than anything like revenge.  
  
"She's not going to hurt you again, Cat. You're safe."  
  
For what seemed like several minutes, they simply kept hugging. "You saved me… I remember hearing you."  
  
"I got there just in time," Angel confirmed. "I couldn't let someone walk off with my dear little sister, could I?"  
  
"She just… she took over… I couldn't say no to her." Caterina sniffled. "I… I couldn't say no."  
  
"Don't blame yourself for that, Cat. She must have done something to make you come close. To trap you."  
  
Cat stopped saying anything. To Angel's confusion, another sob came from her sister. Cat was starting to cry again. "No," she said. "No, th-that wasn't it. I… I stayed at th-the table of my own fr-free will."  
  
"What?" Angel pulled back and looked directly into her sister's eyes. "Why… why would you do that?"  
  
"I… wanted to talk to her," Cat admitted. "She was beautiful and graceful and interesting. And I just had to talk to her."  
  
Angel blinked in confusion. "You've seen Asari before. You… you had to know she was bad news, Cat."  
  
"I didn't realize," Cat pleaded. "I'm so sorry, Angel… S-so so-sorry…" She started crying again. "I know I messed up. I ju-just couldn't help it. She… she was noticing me and it felt nice and I…"  
  
Caterina stopped the sentence. Not to sob, but simply to stop it. As if she didn't want to follow the sentence to its end.  
  
And Angel noticed it. "Cat?", she asked. "What's wrong?"  
  
Caterina shook her head. "It's… it's nothing," she insisted.  
  
"You're lying to me," Angel said. "I know it. Cat, what is it? Why did you want to hang out with that Asari? What interest could you have possibly had in that? I mean, the way she 'noticed' you? What does that even mean?"  
  
Much to Angel's surprise, Cat's face was turning white. She was _afraid_. She swallowed hard and buried her face in her hands. "I don't want to… I mean, it's noth… I can't…" There was an expression of warring impulses on Cat's face now. She couldn't decide what she was going to do.  
  
"Cat… sister…" Angel put her hands on Cat's shoulders. "Whatever it is… just tell me. I won't be angry at you. I mean, we all make mistakes, it's not going to be a big deal…"  
  
" _Yes it is_ ," Caterina insisted. "It _is_ a big deal. I've just not thought about it because I didn't _want_ to because if I did I might slip up and then you and Mama would… might…"  
  
"Mama? What does Mama have to do with this?", Angel asked. "What are you talking about?"  
  
Cat looked away. In the light of the room Angel could see the tears flowing freely down Cat's face again. She felt a few of her own. Why was Cat acting this way? Why wasn't she trusting her? She followed Cat's eyes to the photo on the dresser of the two of them with their Mama. Anita Delgado had been holding the hands of both of her girls, laughing with them for the benefit of the photograph.  
  
A pain shot through Angel's heart. It was the last proper photograph of the family together before their mother had died.  
  
There was a sharp intake of air. Cat was breathing in. "Please don't hate me," she whispered, as if to speak to both Angel and their late mother. "I'm so sorry… I just couldn't…"  
  
It was breaking Angel's heart to see Cat like this. It hurt to think her sister didn't trust her with something, but it hurt even more to see how much this secret was tearing up Cat.  
  
Angel watched as Cat took several breaths. She was forcing composure on herself. "Angel…"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
Cat turned and faced her. They each had their mother's hazel eyes, which met. Cat's eyes were red from all of her crying. She swallowed and finished gathering her courage.  
  
And then she spoke.  
  
"I'm… Angel…" For a moment she faltered. Cat's courage was failing her. Feeling Angel's hand take her's, a gesture of support they had shared since Cat could remember, helped her get through that moment. Nevertheless her voice was hoarse when she resumed speaking, making it almost a whisper with how low it was. "I… I like girls, Angel."  
  
Angel blinked at her.  
  
Cat drew in another breath and sniffled. "Angel, I've never told… I'm sorry." She shook her head and wiped at the tears on her face. "I'm a lesbian, Angel."  
  
The words registered. Angel didn't speak.  
  
"I'm a lesbian," Caterina repeated, more strongly this time.  
  
There. She had said it.  
  
Cat continued. "And that Asari lady, Morinth… they look so beautiful, Angel. I know the whole monogendered thing and they're aliens and stuff, but to me they're _girls_. They're beautiful girls. And I had a beautiful girl asking me things, showing _interest_ in me. I've _never_ had that. I never allowed myself to have it!" Cat made a bitter laugh next. "Of course, I didn't know she wanted to burn all of my nerves out until my brain drowned in my own blood."  
  
Angel remained quiet to let her finish.  
  
With that quiet, Cat finally asked something. "You… you don't hate me now? Please, I know it's against what we were taught. But… it's what I am. I feel this way. I'm attracted to other girls."  
  
Angel shook her head. "And… and you thought I'd _hate_ you for that?"  
  
"I… I was afraid you would," Cat admitted.  
  
"No. You… you silly little…" Angel brushed tears from her right cheek. "Silly, crazy sister. You… you think we didn't know?"  
  
It was Cat's turn to blink through her tears. "What?"  
  
"I'm your _sister_ , Cat. You think I didn't notice?" Angel laughed and shook her head. "Cat, I've known for _years_."  
  
At that, Caterina stared at her in disbelief. And she swallowed. "You… you have?"  
  
Angel nodded, a happy smile on her face.  
  
"You knew and... don't care?"  
  
Angel shook her head. "You're my crazy little sister. I don't care who you love or if it's a girl instead of a boy. I love you. And Mama would say the same thing if she were here. She didn't let something like that get in the way of loving her little baby girl."  
  
Cat's tear-reddened eyes widened. " _Mama_ knew?!"  
  
"It took her a little while," Angel admitted. "But she figured it out. And we talked and decided not to say anything. We didn't want to push you. You'd tell us when you were ready."  
  
Cat sniffled. Her tears were still flowing, but were joined by the happy, bewildered expression now on her face. "But… I… I thought you'd hate me. I was terrified you'd hate me, I had _nightmares_..."  
  
Angel responded by pulling her sister close, into the tightest hug. "No, you silly, crazy little nerd."  
  
Cat thought about that. "So… I spent years hiding it for nothing. I was so scared and it was for nothing."  
  
"Yep," Angel confirmed, a wide grin defying the tears on her face.  
  
There were no more words after that. All of Caterina's greatest nightmares were swept away, leaving only relief. A little shame at taking so long to admit things to her understanding sister, but mostly relief.  
  
The two remained locked in the sisterly hug, both caught up in tears and laughter.  
  
  
  
The Klingon delegation was soon to leave. General Martok stood alone in the station-side quarters he had been assigned, finishing the packing of his bag. There was a chime at the door that prompted him to turn. " _ghoS_ ," he barked.  
  
The door opened. His bodyguards were flanking the door, as ordered, and admitting Senator Kiang into the room. The Alliance Senator was wearing a dark long-sleeved suit and similarly-colored trousers. "General," she said. "I had hoped we could discuss the summit's outcome."  
  
"There is nothing to discuss," he answered. "The Councillor has made his decision, and Chancellor Gowron will sustain it. We have withdrawn from the war."  
  
Behind Kiang the door closed. She stepped toward him. "I had hoped that we might yet find some… flexibility in the Klingon position. The Alliance is not your enemy."  
  
"Not for the moment." Martok approached her. "I do not fault you, Senator. You fought well at the table, and I look forward to any… arrangement that will yet see the Klingon Empire and the United Systems as allies. You are far more worthy of us than the Federation."  
  
Kiang nodded slightly. "Yes. Mister Pran and his people can be quite… irritating at times. The Federation is too worried about peace and principle to recognize what must be done. Given time, I believe my government may recognize that about them."  
  
"We look forward to the day," Martok said, non-committally.  
  
Kiang extended a hand. "In hopes for the future, General?"  
  
Martok eyed her hand. And then her. A thin smile came to his face that she matched. "Yes," he agreed. "To the future."  
  
Their hands clasped.  
  
Slowly, the skin and even the fabric up the wrist began to shift in color and texture. Both hands turned to an amber-brown color and began to meld together.  
  
  
  
  
**Tag**  
  
  
The Klingon withdrawal had certainly not been good, but the summit went on. The withdrawal of the Klingons from the war meant the Alliance would its remaining allies and friends more than ever. And, much to Robert's distaste, Irissa had been using that to great advantage.  
  
Now he was sitting in Sisko's office discussing the events of the prior few days. "Do we have any indications of what the Dominion was doing when they sabotaged the station?", he asked Sisko.  
  
"None." Sisko rolled his baseball in his hands. "With internal sensors down there's no way to know."  
  
A terrible thought came to Robert. "What if they were looking to replace someone?", he asked. "What if this was their real plan?"  
  
"Doctor Bashir has been running blood-screenings on the delegates by mutual agreement, nobody has been discovered to be replaced." Sisko put the ball down. "Still. It is a disturbing possibility."  
  
"I'll file a report with Admiral Maran to advise we watch the delegates for a while. Just to make sure." Robert blanched. "God, what am I saying? Are we really going this far, breaking into the privacy of others and assigning watchdogs to them just because they _might_ be bad?"  
  
"That's the threat the Changelings pose," Sisko remarked. "When anyone could be an enemy spy, it's hard to give any trust."  
  
Robert found he couldn't debate that. It made him feel irritated. _We either give in to paranoia and tear apart our own societies, or we risk having Founders going around blowing things up and causing mayhem. Dammit, what kind of choice is that?_  
  
The door to the office slid open. Dax entered with O'Brien following. "Benjamin, you're going to want to hear this."  
  
Sisko sat up. "What is it?'  
  
"Sir, I've gone over the debris from Samara's ship with everything I can think of," O'Brien said. "Judging by the debris field… there's no way we could even hope to have enough organic matter intact to verify who was on the ship when it blew up."  
  
"So you can't prove Morinth was killed on the shuttle?"  
  
"No sir," O'Brien said. "I've looked over the figures. If an E-zero overload did occur, there really would be nothing left. The shockwave would disassociate the organic matter too thoroughly to leave any trace."  
  
"So… we can't prove either way that Morinth died?", Robert asked. He was filled with a sudden worry, a worry that the monster would come back for Cat and the others.  
  
"That's what I thought," O'Brien answered.  
  
"And then I looked over the sensor logs from DS9 and the _Aurora_. A brief moment before the core overload, there was a faint energy signature." Dax shook her head. "It's so faint that it took the best sensors on the _Aurora_ to pick it up. I can't tell you who or what it was or where it came from… but something definitely transported off the ship just as the core overload began."  
  
"So she was rescued," Sisko mumbled.  
  
"Presumably by whatever Dominion agent was up to the power outage." Robert swallowed. His expanded senses were giving him warning signals. A feeling that things had gotten worse. He found that a good guess given the facts. "They… they used us."  
  
"Morinth was their weapon. Their distraction. A killing spree to take up our attention and leave them free to do as they pleased during the summit." Sisko smacked a fist against his desk.  
  
Dax nodded. "And when Odo, Commander Meridina, and Lieutenant Delgado captured her early…"  
  
"...they decided to sabotage the station," O'Brien finished for her.  
  
"Two birds, one stone," Robert grumbled. "A chance for their agent to get away and the distraction so they could complete their mission after all." He shook his head. "And we never saw it coming."  
  
"Thank you, Old Man. That will be all."  
  
Dax nodded. She and O'Brien left the office.  
  
"They beat us," Robert sighed. His thoughts went back to 33LA. "They beat us again. They helped provoke the war and now they're making it harder to fight."  
  
"I know."  
  
Robert looked to the older captain. His expression was reserved. Controlled.  
  
But there was no mistaking the fire burning behind his eyes.  
  
"But it doesn't matter that they beat us this time." Sisko picked up his baseball and held it up. "Because we're still in this one."  
  
Robert could feel the determination coming from Sisko and felt it lift his own spirits. "Right. We'll win in the end."  
  
"Exactly," Sisko agreed.  
  
  
  
  
It was a new day on the _Aurora_. Everyone was gathering in the Lookout for breakfast, all by Caterina's invitation arranged with Hargert. She and Angel were now walking along the deck toward the Lookout entrance. Both were in uniform, Angel in trousers as always and Cat in the uniform skirt that went down to her knees. "You don't have to do this, Cat," Angel said. "It's just between the two of us… it's your life."  
  
"I know," she said. "But I… I think it's time to be honest. To make things clear, you know?" A small smile crossed her face. "Besides, if you knew, how many other people know?"  
  
"I don't know, some of our friends are a _little_ dense." Angel smiled and followed that up by putting a hand on Cat's shoulder. "Whatever your choice is, I'm here for you."  
  
"I know," Caterina answered, smiling back at her big sister.  
  
They entered the Lookout and found everyone present, the command staffs of both the _Aurora_ and _Koenig_. Several of the civilian science specialists, and some of Cat's subordinate science officers, were all present.  
  
"Although maybe I should have started smaller," Cat conceded. She swallowed and felt the familiar butterflies in her stomach, the jitters that claimed every effort she ever made to speak publicly.  
  
"Nonsense," Angel said. "You've got this."  
  
Taking a look at her sister's confident expression, Caterina smiled and nodded. Her body still stung and twinged from the damage to her nerves. Leo had promised it would clear up in a few weeks. She was hoping he was right.  
  
Hargert walked up to her and smiled, wearing his usual white and blue-striped cooking clothes with white kitchen apron. " _Fraulein_ ," he said amiably, handing her a small receiver.  
  
She accepted it and smiled at him. " _Danke_ ," she replied, revealing the bits and pieces of German she'd been picking up. Hargert replied to that with a proud smile while Cat fixed it to her collar. "Hello!", she called out. Her voice echoed over the Lookout's speakers.  
  
All of the small morning conversations ended.  
  
"Um… hi everyone," she said. Cat took one last look at Angel, who gave her a thumbs up, before she turned her attention back to the others. "I… I just wanted to say thank you, and sorry. I'm sorry you all worried about me so much. And thank you for… for wanting to help. Doing whatever you could to."  
  
Nods and applause answered her.  
  
"But that's… that's not why I-I'm here today." Cat stopped and drew in a breath. "I've been… I haven't told people something… something important. I was afraid. I was scared. I didn't know how you'd react, even after knowing so many of you for so long. And… I was wrong. Wrong to doubt you. Just as I doubted Angel despite how much we love each other. She's been there for me since I could talk and I really should have trusted her…"  
  
"It's okay, Cat," Angel insisted.  
  
"...and I don't want to make you all think I don't trust you too, so I'm just going to come out and say it." There was a final pause. A final drawing of breath. "I'm gay. I'm a lesbian."  
  
Cat stopped talking. She looked to the others, awaiting a response.  
  
Julia was the first to begin clapping. She smiled at Cat as she did so, a smile that was all the support Cat could have hoped for.  
  
And like that it spread. Robert was next, an equal smile on his face. Leo and Tom Barnes, Zack only a half-second behind them, and Jarod and Meridina and Lucy and Scotty and Nick and soon enough everyone in the room was applauding and smiling at her.  
  
Hargert stepped up, still applauding. "We are only a month from your birthday, I know," he began, "but I have baked you a cake anyway."  
  
Angel gave Hargert a suspicious little look. "You… knew?"  
  
"I suspected," the old German cook said. "But really… given what she has survived, I would have baked a cake anyway."  
  
"Thank you." Cat embraced him and got a pat on the back in return. Tears were flowing down her face and blurring her vision as Zack was next in line for an embrace.  
  
One by one, each hugged and embraced her. Even Meridina, who was equal parts bemused and warm in what seemed an unusual act for the stoic Gersallian. She looked back to Angel, smiling and teary-eyed as well, and exchanged a nod with her sister.  
  
If Caterina had any regrets at that moment, it was simply that it had taken her so long to trust her friends and crewmates...  
  
...her _family_.  
  
Angel put a hand on Cat's shoulder. The two sisters smiled at each other. "So, you do know that I'm going to have to act all protective and angry toward any girlfriend you bring around, right?"  
  
Cat giggled at that. "No punching girlfriends!"  
  
"Not unless they break your heart," Angel pledged. Her smile was full of mischief. "Then I get to break their bones."  
  
Cat was giggling too hard to protest. Angel let out a laugh and put an arm on her sister's shoulder, pulling Cat close. "You're terrible!", Cat finally stated. "No breaking bones."  
  
"Oh, you take all of the fun out of being the violent big sister…"  
  
Cat and Angel began laughing again.


End file.
